6.

4 - Trigonometric Functions

Periodic behaviour is one that repeats itself over some horizontal interval
(usually this is time but it could be over distance as well). You witness it
every year with the amount of sunshine we get throughout the year, or
our tides in the Halifax Harbour. As you studied previously, the graphs of
y = sin(x) and y = cos(x) are periodic as well and therefore we can model
these types of relationships with these two curves.

In this course we concern ourselves with sinusoidal behaviour primarily.

This looks like the succession of waves.

Terminology:

The maximum point is the highest value. The minimum point is

the lowest value.

The period is the horizontal distance for the graph to complete

one cycle.

The principle axis is the horizontal line that lies in the middle of
the graph. To find it simply take an arithmetic mean of the max
and min values.

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The amplitude is the height of the wave. It is simply found by
subtracting the principal axis from the maximum value.

Amplitude = max - principal axis OR Amplitude =

The Sine Graph:

A quick recap from Math 10:

We could look at the table of values but all I really want you to know
about the graph of y = sin(x) is that the starting point is at the principal
axis and then it goes UP to the max.

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Transforming y = sin(x):

The Vertical Stretch

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x), y = 3sin(x), and

y = 0.5sin(x) are shown on the same grid. What attribute of the graph
is changed by the vertical stretch?

y = 3sin(x)

y = sin(x)

y = 0.5sin(x)

Conclusion: The Vertical Stretch = The Amplitude

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The Vertical Translation:

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x), y = sin(x) + 2,

and y = sin(x) - 3 are all shown on the graph below. What attribute
of the graph is changed by the vertical translation?

y = sin(x) + 2

y = sin(x)

y = sin(x) - 3

Conclusion: The Vertical Translation = The Principal Axis

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The Horizontal Stretch:

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x), y = sin3(x), and

y = sin0.5(x) are all shown on the graph below. What attribute of the
graph is changed by the vertical translation?
y = sin3(x)

y = sin0.5(x) y = sin(x)

Conclusion: The Horizontal Stretch "affects" The Period

When a function is in the form y = sin(bx) the value of 'b' is the number
of new curves that could fit in the original period. So if the equation
was y = sin2(x) that means that 2 of these new curves could fit in the
original period. Therefore this means that the period must be half.

OR

or

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The Horizontal Translation:

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x), y = sin(x ), and

y = sin(x ) are all shown on the graph below. What attribute of the
graph is changed by the horizontal translation?

y = sin(x)

y = sin(x )
y = sin(x )

The Horizontal Translation is often called the "phase shift". Personally, I

just say that it is the horizontal shift of the "starting position". For the
graph of y = sin(x) this starting position is at the principal axis and then
moving UP to the maximum value.

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The Vertical Reflection:

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x) and y = -sin(x) are

displayed below. What attribute of the graph is changed by the vertical
reflection?

y = -sin(x)

y = sin(x)

This reflection simply alters the "starting behaviour". Instead of going

UP to the maximum the graph of y = sin(x) goes DOWN to the
minimum.

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The Horizontal Reflection:

Using graphing technology the graphs of y = sin(x) and y = sin(-x) are

displayed below. What attribute of the graph is changed by the vertical
reflection?

y = sin(-x)

y = sin(x)

This reflection alters the "starting behaviour" as well. Instead of

going UP to the maximum the graph of y = sin(x) goes DOWN
to the minimum.

The reason it does this and acts exactly the same as the vertical
reflection is because sine is an ODD FUNCTION, that is:

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Steps for Sketching sine and cosine curves:

1) Sketch the principal axis

2) Apply the amplitude and mark the maximum and minimum values
on the y-axis
3) Mark the starting point on the x-axis
4) Mark the ending position of the graph. This will be ONE period
away from where you started on the x-axis.
5) Quarter this interval you just created above in step 4. The easiest
way to quarter something is to half the interval and then half the
interval again. This is important to do because these graphs hit a
"main feature" every quarter of their period - principal axis,
minimum value or maximum value.
6) Go to the starting point and place your first point. The go over one
quarter of the period and plot the next point. Continue this until
finished.
7) Connect all points with a smooth continuous curve. Make sure you
maintain the shape of the sine or cosine curve.

Ex: Sketch

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Ex: Sketch

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The Cosine Graph:

The graphs of cosine and sine are closely related, algebraically we

have already learned that

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So since these graphs are just a transformation of each other, all the
transformations are going to affect the graph of cosine the same as they
did the graph of sine. The big difference, is the starting point for
. Cosine starts at the maximum value and then moves do the
principal axis afterwards.

The horizontal reflection for cosine is not needed because cosine is an

EVEN FUNCTION, that is:

Ex: Sketch

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Ex: Sketch

Exercise 6N Pg 414 #3(a, c, d), 4(c, d), 5

Exercise 6O Pg 417 #1 - 3, 4(a, b, c, d)

Sketch 1 period of each of the following:

a)
b)

c)
d)
e)

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The Tangent Function

We already know the identity for the tangent function. From a

previous lesson, .

We also explored the period of tangent which is or .

If you ever need to graph ANYTHING, you can always create a table
of values. You choose the x-values and then use the equation to
generate their corresponding y-values. Below is a table of values, fill it
in and then sketch .

x
y

What is happening when the tangent value is undefined?

We have already looked at this behaviour of dividing by zero in

rational functions - The Vertical Asymptote.

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Putting all of this information together now…

Big properties of the tangent function:

1. Period is or
2. The range is
3. Vertical Asymptotes of for all

Now if we have a horizontal stretch (which we know affects the period)

the vertical asymptotes will change. It's important to note that they
occur HALF of the period on either side of the middle point that makes
the argument of tangent zero.

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Ex: Sketch

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Ex: Sketch

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Ex: Sketch

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The Reciprocal Functions:

The three reciprocal trigonometric ratios are secant, cosecant, and

cotangent. They are defined as the following:

Ex: Evaluate the following:

a) b)

The Graphs of The Reciprocal Functions:

We have already looked at the graph of . These functions have

the same idea.

Ex: Sketch

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The Inverse Trigonometric Functions:

You have dealt with these functions in Grade 10, they are: ,
, and .

We used these inverse functions to solve for angles, therefore their

output is an angle. Their input is a ratio.

"What angle has a sine ratio of 0.5?" …

We would write this as:

But we know that also has a sine ratio of 0.5. Why does our
calculator only give us one answer?

Because it is a function!

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The Graph of

It is derived from the graph of because if we change the x's

and the y's we get which is or now we are
going to start calling it .

This graph fails the horizontal line test, therefore we know that it's
inverse will NOT be a function. However, we can restrict the domain
so that it is 1-to-1 and therefore it's inverse will then be a function!

Range:

This is why
And not . The
Angle of is not in the range of

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The Graph of

Range:

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The Graph of

Range:

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Ex: Evaluate the following:

a) b)

c) d)

Exercise 6P Pg 420 #1 - 5

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