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How to write in Cartesian form

For Maths C4, often a question will come up along you to rewrite am equation in Cartesian form, does that just mean in terms of x and y in one equation? Does y even need to be the subject?

And so a parametric equation is where there are two equations, one in terms of eg. y and t and one in terms of x and t?

Very many thanks!
Original post by hardanger
For Maths C4, often a question will come up along you to rewrite am equation in Cartesian form, does that just mean in terms of x and y in one equation? Does y even need to be the subject?

And so a parametric equation is where there are two equations, one in terms of eg. y and t and one in terms of x and t?

Very many thanks!


Yes a cartesian equation is one that uses only x and y with no other variables! And yes you're right about parametric equations, although they won't always be in terms of t so look out for other letters as well!
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mik1a
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Original post by hardanger
Does y even need to be the subject?


Chances are if the curve has to be written in parametric form in the first place, it will not be possible to re-write the equation with either x or y as the subject, so don't worry about that.

Original post by hardanger
And so a parametric equation is where there are two equations, one in terms of eg. y and t and one in terms of x and t?


Yep, that's correct.
Reply 3
Avatar for hardanger
hardanger
OP
1
Original post by dlwilson97
Yes a cartesian equation is one that uses only x and y with no other variables! And yes you're right about parametric equations, although they won't always be in terms of t so look out for other letters as well!


Original post by mik1a
Chances are if the curve has to be written in parametric form in the first place, it will not be possible to re-write the equation with either x or y as the subject, so don't worry about that.



Yep, that's correct.



Thanks guys, that clears that up a lot!

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