LESSON 5: Periodic Functions

Preliminary Example. The Brown County Ferris Wheel has diameter 30 meters and completes one full revolution every
two minutes. When you are at the lowest point on the wheel, you are still 5 meters above the ground. Assuming you board
the ride at t = 0 seconds, sketch a graph of your height, h = f(t), as a function of time.

Definition:
A function f is called periodic if its output values repeat at regular intervals. Graphically, this means
that if the graph of f is shifted __________________ by p units, the new graph is ________________
to the original. Given a periodic function f:
1. The _______________ is the ______________________________ that it takes for the graph to
complete one full cycle. That is, if p is the ________________, then __________________.
2. The ________________ is the horizontal line ________________ between the function’s
maximum and minimum output values.
3. The ________________ is the ________________ distance between the functions’ maximum value
and the midline.

Example:
Which of the following functions are periodic? For thos that are, what is its period, midline and amplitude?

The Sine and Cosine Functions

Properties of Sine and Cosine Functions

The graphs of y = sin x and y = cos x have similar properties:
1. The domain is the set of real numbers.
2. The range is the set of y values such that ____________________________.
3. The maximum value is _____ and the minimum value is ______.
4. The graph is a smooth curve.
5. Each function cycles through all the values of the range over an x-interval of _____________.
6. The cycle repeats itself indefinitely in both directions of the x-axis.
 Sinusoidal Functions
Definition
A function is called sinusoidal if it is a ___________________________ of a sine or a cosine function.

Graphs of Sunusoids:
The graphs of 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑏(𝑥 − ℎ)) + 𝑘 and 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝑏(𝑥 − ℎ)) + 𝑘 where 𝑎 ≠ 0 and 𝑏 ≠ 0, has
the following characteristics:
Amplitude= ____________________
Period = _____________________
Frequency = __________________

When compared to the graphs of 𝑦 = 𝑎 sin 𝑏𝑥 and 𝑦 = 𝑎 cos 𝑏𝑥, respectively, they also have the
following characteristics:
A phase shift of ________
A vertical translation of ___________.

Examples:
Basic Sine Curves:

Basic Cosine Curves: