Graphing 2-D Motion

To graph 2D motion, we can no longer graph both the $x$ and $y$ variables as a function of time in the Cartesian plane. Instead, we look at the locus of points $(x(t),y(t))$ that the object visits. This is called a parametric graph, because the coordinate $(x(t),y(t))$ varies with the parameter $t$.

Note: $t$ is not shown as an axis on the graph. To plot these graphs by hand, plug in various values of $t$ and connect the points that you get.