8: Further Applications of Trigonometry
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- 8.6: Parametric Equations
- Many shapes, even ones as simple as circles, cannot be represented as an equation where y is a function of x . Consider, for example, the path a moon follows as it orbits around a planet, which simultaneously rotates around a sun. In some cases, polar equations provide a way to represent such a path. In others, we need a more versatile approach that allows us to represent both the x and y coordinates in terms of a third variable, or parameter.
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