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Property Value
Hex Value $7E02
Categories
Localizations
  • FR: CoordPol

PolarGC

Overview

Sets polar graphing coordinates format.

Availability: Token only available from within the Basic editor.

Syntax

PolarGC

Location

2nd, format, PolarGC

Description

The PolarGC ("Polar Grid Coordinates") command (like its opposite, the RectGC) command, affects how the coordinates of a point on the graph screen are displayed. When PolarGC is enabled, the coordinates of a point are displayed as (R,θ).

The polar coordinates of a point can be interpreted as the distance R it is away from the origin (0,0), and the direction θ. θ is the angle that a ray to the point would make with the positive X-axis (so polar coordinates are affected by Degree/Radian mode). An angle of 0 means the point is to the left of the origin; an angle of 90° (π/2 radians) means it's up from the origin, and so on. So, for example, the point with R=2 and θ=270° (3π/2 radians) would be two units down from the origin.

Of course, coordinates are only displayed with the CoordOn setting; however, with CoordOff, RectGC and PolarGC are still useful, because in a variety of cases, the coordinates of a point are also stored to variables. PolarGC doesn't change the fact that they're stored to X and Y, as with RectGC; however, with PolarGC, they are also stored to R and θ.

Although the PolarGC command naturally goes with Polar graphing mode, the two settings are independent; you can use both PolarGC and RectGC with any graphing mode.

Advanced

The following situations involve storing coordinates of a point to variables:

  • Graphing an equation
  • Tracing an equation or plot
  • Moving the cursor on the graph screen
  • Using the interactive mode of one of the 2nd DRAW commands
  • Using one of DrawF, DrawInv, or Tangent(
  • Anything in the 2nd CALC menu.

Naturally, any command like Input or Select( which involves the above, will also store coordinates of a point.

Source: parts of this page were written by the following TI|BD contributors: DarkerLine, GoVegan.

History

Calculator OS Version Description
TI-82 1.0 Added
Authors: Adrien Bertrand