In Exercises 61–66, use the method of adding y-coordinates to graph each function for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π.y = 3 cos x + sin x
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Identify the individual trigonometric functions in the equation: \( y = 3 \cos x + \sin x \).
Determine the amplitude and period of each function: \( 3 \cos x \) has an amplitude of 3 and a period of \( 2\pi \), while \( \sin x \) has an amplitude of 1 and a period of \( 2\pi \).
Create a table of values for \( x \) ranging from 0 to \( 2\pi \) at key points (e.g., 0, \( \frac{\pi}{2} \), \( \pi \), \( \frac{3\pi}{2} \), \( 2\pi \)) and calculate the corresponding \( y \)-values for both \( 3 \cos x \) and \( \sin x \).
Add the \( y \)-coordinates from \( 3 \cos x \) and \( \sin x \) for each \( x \)-value to find the resulting \( y \)-coordinate of the combined function.
Plot the points on a graph and connect them smoothly to visualize the function \( y = 3 \cos x + \sin x \) over the interval \( 0 \leq x \leq 2\pi \).
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Trigonometric Functions
Trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine, are periodic functions that describe relationships between angles and side lengths in right triangles. The cosine function, cos(x), represents the x-coordinate of a point on the unit circle, while the sine function, sin(x), represents the y-coordinate. Understanding these functions is essential for graphing and analyzing their behavior over specified intervals.
Graphing techniques involve plotting points on a coordinate system to visualize the behavior of functions. For trigonometric functions, this includes identifying key points such as maximums, minimums, and intercepts. The method of adding y-coordinates, as mentioned in the question, refers to summing the outputs of individual functions at given x-values to create a new graph, which is crucial for understanding the combined effect of multiple trigonometric terms.
Amplitude and period are fundamental characteristics of trigonometric functions. The amplitude indicates the height of the wave from its midline, while the period defines the length of one complete cycle of the wave. In the function y = 3 cos x + sin x, the amplitude is influenced by the coefficient of the cosine term, and understanding these properties helps in accurately sketching the graph over the specified interval of 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π.