Competencies:

1. Illustrate the domain and range of the different circular functions.

2. Graph the six circular functions (a) amplitude, (b) period, and (c) phase shift.

DOMAIN AND RANGE OF CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS

Sine and Cosine

Graph of sinx

Graph of cosx

There are no restrictions for the domain of sine and cosine because it extends infinitely to all values going
to the left and right of the plane. Thus, its range can be represented by ℝ (the set of all real numbers) or {𝑥 ∈
ℝ }, 𝑜𝑟(−∞, ∞). Its range however is restricted to the coefficient 𝒂 for 𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒙 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙 . For example, the range
will be {𝑦 ∈ ℝ ∶ −1 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 1} when 𝒂 = 𝟏.
Tangent and Cotangent

Graph of tanx

Notice that there are some asymptotes in the graph of tanx and these asymptotes repeat every after 180 degrees or
𝜋 units.
Thus, the domain of tanx will be all real values except for the values where the asymptotes are. The domain will be
𝜋
{𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ + 𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}. The graph extends infinitely upward and downward so the range will be {𝑦 ∈ ℝ}.
2

Graph of cotx

Notice that there are some asymptotes in the graph of cotx and these asymptotes repeat every after 180 degrees or
𝜋 units.
Thus, the domain of cotx will be all real values except for the values where the asymptotes are. The domain will be
{𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}. The graph extends infinitely upward and downward so the range will be {𝑦 ∈ ℝ}.
Cosecant

Graph of cscx

Notice that there are some asymptotes in the graph of cscx and these asymptotes repeat every after 180 degrees or
𝜋 units.
Thus, the domain of cscx will be all real values except for the values where the asymptotes are. The domain will be
{𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}. The graph extends infinitely upward and downward but has turning points at 𝑦 = ±1. So, the
range will be {𝑦 ∈ ℝ\ −1 < 𝑦 < 1}.

Secant

Graph of secx

Notice that there are some asymptotes in the graph of secx and these asymptotes repeat every after 180 degrees or
𝜋 units.
Thus, the domain of secx will be all real values except for the values where the asymptotes are. The domain will be
𝜋
{𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ 2 + 𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}. The graph extends infinitely upward and downward but has turning points at 𝑦 = ±1. So,
the range will be {𝑦 ∈ ℝ \−1 < 𝑦 < 1}.
Amplitude
This measures the height of the curve from the middle line or half of the distance from the maximum value to the
minimum value reached by the curve.

Graph of sinx

Middle line

The amplitude for sinx is 1.

Graph of cosx

Middle line

The amplitude for cosx is 1.

Tangent and Cotangent functions have no maximum and minimum values so the amplitude cannot be determined.
This will imply that the amplitude can only be determined when the range is finite. The same follows for Secant
and Cosecant functions.
Period

If you will look at the graphs of sine, cosine, secant, and cosecant, all of them follows a pattern of repeating its
graph every after 2𝜋. Thus, its period is 2𝜋.

Tangent and Cotangent however have a pattern of repeating its graph every after 𝜋. Thus, its period is 𝜋.

Effects of a,b,c, and d Coefficients in the Graph of the Six Circular Functions.

±𝑎 sin 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑
±𝑎 cos 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑
±𝑎 csc 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑
±𝑎 sec 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑
±𝑎 tan 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑
±𝑎 cot 𝑏(𝑥 ± 𝑐) ± 𝑑

|𝑎| 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒, increasing the coefficient will stretch the graph vertically while decreasing it
will shrink the graph vertically. Changing its sign will flip the graph vertically.
2𝜋
The b coefficient will reduce the period from 2𝜋 → 𝑏 for sine, cosine, secant and cosecant functions. So,
for sin2x where b=2, its period will be 𝜋 which means that the graph will now repeat its graph after 𝜋 or
180 degrees.
𝜋
The b coefficient will reduce the period from 𝜋 → 𝑏 for tangent and cotangent functions. So, for tan2x
𝜋 𝜋
where b=2, its period will be 2 which means that the graph will now repeat its graph after 2 or 90
degrees.

Changing the sign of b in the sine function will flip the graph vertically.

Changing the sign of b in the cosine function will NOT change the graph. This is because changing the sign
of the b coefficient means changing the sign of the angle. And since cosine is determined by the x
coordinate, changing the sign of the angle will not change the value of the x-coordinate.
For example: cos (60) and cos (-60) are both ½.

The c coefficient denotes a horizontal shift.

Notice that a positive c will shift the graph c units to the left while negative c will shift the graph c units to
the right. This is true to all the six functions.
There is a bit of complication on the effects of the c coefficient for the tangent, cotangent, secant, and
cosecant function. This is because their domain will be affected by this horizontal shift.

For tanx and secx,

𝜋
Their domain are both {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ 2 + 𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
But when transformed to tan (𝑥 − ) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 sec (𝑥 − ), their domain will already be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ + 𝑛𝜋 + : 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.
4 4 2 4

𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
Also, when transformed to tan (𝑥 + ) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 sec (𝑥 + ), their domain will already be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ + 𝑛𝜋 − : 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.
4 4 2 4
𝜋
Therefore, for tan(𝑥 ± 𝑐) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 sec (𝑥 ± 𝑐), the domain will be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \ 2 + 𝑛𝜋 ∓ 𝑐: 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.

For cotx and cscx,

Their domains are both {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 ∶ 𝑛 ∈ Ι}
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
But when transformed to cot (𝑥 − ) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 cscc (𝑥 − ), their domain will already be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 + : 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.
4 4 4

𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
Also, when transformed to cot (𝑥 + 4 ) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 csc (𝑥 + 4 ), their domain will already be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 − 4 : 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.

Therefore, for cot(𝑥 ± 𝑐) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 csc (𝑥 ± 𝑐), the domain will be {𝑥 ∈ ℝ \𝑛𝜋 ∓ 𝑐: 𝑛 ∈ Ι}.
The d coefficient denotes a vertical shift.

Notice that from sinx where the amplitude= 1, maximum value=s 1, and minimum value = -1, the d coefficient of 2
lifted the graph units while the d coefficient of -2 lowered the graph by two units.
For d=2, amplitude is 1, maximum value=3, minimum value=1, range ={𝑦 ∈ ℝ ∶ 1 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 3}
For d=-2, amplitude is 1, maximum value=-1, minimum value=-3, range= {𝑦 ∈ ℝ ∶ −3 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ −1}
This also true for the cosine function.
The manner of shifting the graph can also be applied to tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant functions but
should be mindful of some facts about this transformation.

For tangent and cotangent

Graph will be lifted or lowered but the period, domain and range will still be the same.
For secant and cosecant
Graph will be lifted or lowered but the period and domain will still be the same. However, the range will be
changed.

The range will be changed from {𝑦 ∈ ℝ\ −1 < 𝑦 < 1} to {𝑦 ∈ ℝ\ 0 < 𝑦 < 2}.