Describe the motion of a particle with position as t varies in the given interval .
A)Moves once counterclockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at .
B)Moves once counterclockwise along the circle starting and ending at .
C)Moves once clockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at .
D)Moves once counterclockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at .
E)Moves once clockwise along the circle starting and ending at .

Question

Describe the motion of a particle with position  as t varies in the given interval  . 
A)Moves once counterclockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at . 
B)Moves once counterclockwise along the circle starting and ending at . 
C)Moves once clockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at . 
D)Moves once counterclockwise along the ellipse starting and ending at . 
E)Moves once clockwise along the circle starting and ending at .

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The given position is not enough to determine the shape and orientation of the curve. However, the fact that the particle starts and ends at the same position implies that it completes a full revolution around the curve. Therefore, we can eliminate choices A, B, and E since they only describe a partial revolution. 
The remaining choices are C and D, both of which describe a full revolution. However, the given interval suggests that the particle moves in a clockwise direction, and only choice C describes a clockwise motion. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Describe the Motion of a Particle with Position as T