Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles39m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions
Graphs of the Sine and Cosine Functions
Problem 35d
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionIn Exercises 35–42, determine the amplitude and period of each function. Then graph one period of the function. y = cos 2x
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Amplitude
Amplitude refers to the maximum height of a wave from its central axis. In trigonometric functions like cosine, it indicates how far the function reaches above and below its midline. For the function y = cos(2x), the amplitude is 1, as the cosine function oscillates between -1 and 1.
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Period
The period of a trigonometric function is the length of one complete cycle of the wave. For the cosine function, the standard period is 2π. However, when the function is modified, such as in y = cos(2x), the period is adjusted by the coefficient of x, resulting in a new period of π, meaning the function completes one full cycle in that interval.
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Graphing Trigonometric Functions
Graphing trigonometric functions involves plotting the values of the function over a specified interval. For y = cos(2x), one period can be graphed from 0 to π, showing the characteristic wave shape. Understanding the amplitude and period is crucial for accurately representing the function's behavior on a graph.
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