Back to MAT 194F

Chapter 3.8 Exercise 37

Problem

A point P moves uniformly along the circle x**2 + y**2 = r**2 with angular velocity omega. Find the xy-coordinates of P at time t given that the motion starts at time t=0 with theta = theta_0.

Solution

Assume that angles are measured as usual counterclockwise from the x-axis. Then theta(t) = omega*t + theta_0, x = r*cos(theta) = r*cos(omega*t+theta_0) and similarly y = r*sin(omega*t+theta_0).