Question

Find the polar coordinates of (8, –8) for r ≥ 0.

I am getting 8 square root of 2 as the first coordinate. I am not sure if I am finding the arctan correctly.

Answer 1

Look at the position of your point, it is in quadrant IV,

so tanØ = -8/8 = -1
and in IV the angle would be 315° or 7π/4 radians

so the polar form would be (8√2, 7π/4)

and alternate form could be (8√2, -π/4)