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Name:_______________________ Date assigned:______________ Band:________
Precalculus | Packer Collegiate Institute

Assessment on Conics Basics (Polar)

Remember to get full credit, you need to show all work, clearly and neatly. Remember, this isnt
just about you getting the answer, but you showing someone else how you got the answer.
You may not use a calculator on this assessment.

These are various conic sections graphed with either
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

or
1
1 sin
r
k u
=

These are
graphs:
A B C D

These are
graphs:
E F G H

These are
graphs:
I J K L
1. For conic section B, (a) which equation was used (circle one):
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

or
1
1 sin
r
k u
=

(b) write down a possible k value: k = (c) write down the name of the conic section: _________________
2. For conic section E, (a) which equation was used (circle one):
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

or
1
1 sin
r
k u
=

(b) write down a possible k value: k = (c) write down the name of the conic section: _________________
3. For conic section K, (a) which equation was used (circle one):
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

or
1
1 sin
r
k u
=

(b) write down a possible k value: k = (c) write down the name of the conic section: _________________

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4. How close does
1
2
1
3
sin
r
u
=

get to the origin? At what angle(s) does this happen? Explain your reasoning clearly.







5. How far does
1
1 cos
r
u
=

get from the origin? At what angle(s) does this happen? Explain your reasoning clearly.








6. It turns out that
1
1 2cos
r
u
=

gets infinitely far away from the origin at two different angles. Find these angles. You
need to show your work, but you do not need any explanation.






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7. Convert
2
1 cos
r
u
=

to a rectangular equation. If it is easily put into a standard form of something we know and
love, do that!









8. Rewrite the following equations in standard polar form (meaning they should look like
1
1 cos
r a
k u
=

| |
|
\ .
or
1
1 sin
r a
k u
=

| |
|
\ .
). Then identify the type of conic section the equation is.
(a)
9
3 6sin
r
u
=
+










Type of Conic Section:

(b)
2
2 5cos
r
u
=
+










Type of Conic Section:
(c)
3
1 9cos
r
u

=
+









Type of Conic Section:
(d)
3
2 sin
r
t t u
=










Type of Conic Section:
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9. I am graphing
c s
1
1 o
r
blah u
=

(for some value k

which I am not revealing, because Im mysterious like
that) in a bold line. I am graphing in dashed line the
equation
1
c
____
1 os
r
blah u
| |
|
\
=
.

, which is the same

as the first polar equation except it is multiplied by a
particular coefficient. Identify the coefficient, and explain
how you found it.









10. Explain how I can be sure that
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

will never pass through the origin.

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11. Explain how I can be sure that if 0 k = , then the equation
1
1 cos
r
k u
=

will graph a simple unit circle..

There are four extra credit options. Pick at most two of them to do. Do one on this page and one on the next page.
A. Claim:
c s
1
1 o
r
k u
=

and
1
1 sin
r
k u
=

are the same graphs, but the sine version is a rotation of the cosine
version by 90
o
counterclockwise. Is this claim true or false? If it is true, explain why it is so. If it is false, explain
why it is false, and how you could change the statement to make it true.
B. I know that if cos 1/ k u = has no solutions (for 3 0 60
o o
u s < ), then
c s
1
1 o
r
k u
=

is a graph of an ellipse
however if it has one or two solutions, I most definitely cannot have an ellipse. Explain how I know this!
C. Write the polar equation of a conic section that is a parabola that goes through the point (3.6, 0)
D. Mr. Shah claims that even though the graphs of conic sections all look very different, they all at their heart
connected in a simple way. We saw one way they were all connected was with a polar equation. Explain in as
much detail as possible (and using drawings) another way conic sections are all connected.











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INTEGRITY STATEMENT:
On my personal integrity, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this
exam."______________________________
(signature)
If you cant sign this in good conscience, please dont. Come speak to me.