I was trying to find the average distance between two points on a circle and got the following result.
Why is my method wrong?
Best Answer
Your method is wrong because the distribution of possible $x$ and $y$-values isn't uniform ($x$-values close to $\pm r$ are more common than values close to $0$, and $y$-values close to $0$ and $2r$ are more common than values close to $r$). I would personally suggest you use trigonometry and the angle $\angle P_1OP_2$ instead, as that angle is indeed uniformly distributed.
Since the radius increases at a constant rate relative to the change of the angle $\theta$ the polar equation would be $r = r_1 + \frac{r_2-r_1}{\theta_1 - \theta_0}\theta$ where $r_2 > r_1$. To find the distance you need the integral $\int_{\theta_0}^{\theta_1}\sqrt{1+(\frac{\text{d}r}{\text{d}\theta})^2}\text{d}\theta$, where $\frac{\text{d}r}{\text{d}\theta}=\frac{r_2-r_1}{\theta_1 - \theta_0}$. Which would yield a length of $(\theta_1 - \theta_0)\sqrt{1 + (\frac{r_2-r_1}{\theta_1 - \theta_0})^2}$. Even simpler it would be $\sqrt{(\theta_1 - \theta_0)^2 + (r_2-r_1)^2}$.
Best Answer
Your method is wrong because the distribution of possible $x$ and $y$-values isn't uniform ($x$-values close to $\pm r$ are more common than values close to $0$, and $y$-values close to $0$ and $2r$ are more common than values close to $r$). I would personally suggest you use trigonometry and the angle $\angle P_1OP_2$ instead, as that angle is indeed uniformly distributed.