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 15a
Textbook Question
In Exercises 7–16, determine the amplitude and period of each function. Then graph one period of the function. y = -sin 2/3 x
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1
Identify the standard form of the sine function, which is \( y = a \sin(bx + c) + d \). In this case, the function is \( y = -\sin\left(\frac{2}{3}x\right) \).
Determine the amplitude of the function. The amplitude is the absolute value of the coefficient \( a \). Here, \( a = -1 \), so the amplitude is \( |a| = 1 \).
Find the period of the function. The period of a sine function is given by \( \frac{2\pi}{|b|} \), where \( b \) is the coefficient of \( x \). In this function, \( b = \frac{2}{3} \), so the period is \( \frac{2\pi}{\frac{2}{3}} = 3\pi \).
Graph one period of the function. Start at \( x = 0 \) and use the period \( 3\pi \) to determine the endpoint of one cycle. The key points for the sine function are at \( 0, \frac{3\pi}{4}, \frac{3\pi}{2}, \frac{9\pi}{4}, \) and \( 3\pi \).
Plot the points for one period: \( (0, 0) \), \( (\frac{3\pi}{4}, -1) \), \( (\frac{3\pi}{2}, 0) \), \( (\frac{9\pi}{4}, 1) \), and \( (3\pi, 0) \). Connect these points with a smooth curve to complete the graph of one period of the function.
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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 distance a wave reaches from its central axis or equilibrium position. In the context of sine functions, it is determined by the coefficient in front of the sine term. For the function y = -sin(2/3 x), the amplitude is 1, as the coefficient of sin is -1, indicating the wave 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 sine functions, the period can be calculated using the formula P = 2π / |b|, where b is the coefficient of x. In the function y = -sin(2/3 x), b is 2/3, leading to a period of P = 2π / (2/3) = 3π.
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Graphing Trigonometric Functions
Graphing trigonometric functions involves plotting the function over a specified interval to visualize its behavior. For y = -sin(2/3 x), one period can be graphed from 0 to 3π, showing the wave starting at 0, reaching its maximum at π/2, crossing the axis at π, reaching its minimum at 3π/2, and returning to 0 at 3π. The negative sign indicates the wave is reflected across the x-axis.
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