Learning Module for Pre-Calculus

LESSON Problem Solving Involving Circular Functions

EXPECTATIONS

1. Solve situational problems involving circular functions.

Specifically, this module will help you to:

❖ Apply the concepts of circular functions in solving problems.

PRETEST

Multiple choice. Write the number of the correct choice on the line provided.

Problem: A Ferris wheel similar to MOA eye, with radius 20 m rotates once every 40 seconds.
Passengers get on at point S, which is 1 m above the ground. Suppose you get on at S and the
wheel starts to rotate. Write an equation which expresses height, your position as a function of
time.
_____1. What is the vertical translation of the graph?

a. 20 m b. 21 m c. 40 m d. 41 m
_____2. What is the circular function that represents the given problem?

a. h(t) = 20sin9(x-10) + 21 c. h(t) = 20cos9(x-10) + 21

b. h(t) = 21sin9(x-10) + 2 d. h(t) = 21cos9(x-10) + 2
_____3. What is the height at t= 10?

a. 4.98 m b. 21 m c. 38.87 m d. 41m

_____4. What is the height at t= 20?

a. 4.98 m b. 21 m c. 38.87 m d. 41m
_____5.What is the height at t= 30?
a. 4.98 m b. 21 m c. 38.32 m d. 41m

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LOOKING BACK TO YOUR LESSON

Multiple choice. Write the number of the correct choice on the line provided.

𝜋
_____1. What is the phase shift of the graph y = 5 sin (𝑥 − ) + 2?
3
𝜋 𝜋
a. units to the left b. units to the right
3 3
c. 5 units to the left d. 5 units to the right

_____2. Which of the following functions represents the graph below?

a. 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑜𝑡 𝑥
b. 𝑦 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑥
c. 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑠𝑐 𝑥
d. 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑠𝑐 𝑥 + 1

_____3. What is the vertical shift of the graph y = 7 cos 4(𝑥 − 𝜋)-
1?

a. 1 units upward b. 1 units downward

c. 𝜋 units upward d. 𝜋 units downward

_____4. What is the phase shift of the graph y = 7 cos 4(𝑥 − 𝜋)- 1?
a. 𝜋 units to the left b. 𝜋 units to the right
c. 7 units to the left d. 7 units to the right
_____5. What is the period of the graph y = 2 cos 2(𝑥 − 𝜋)- 5?
𝜋 𝜋
a. 2𝜋 b. 𝜋 c. d.
2 3

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Now we you already learned

all about circular functions, I bet
you are excited to apply these
concepts in solving situational
problems! You are now more than
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9tU8ybzcFs
ready to solve problems involving
these concepts. Usual problem that
involves circular functions in particular sine and cosine functions are used to model
real world applications involving sound waves, natural patterns like tides and daylight

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and other situations involving circles. Let’s now recall the process of solving problem
word problems:

STEPS IN SOLVING WORD PROBLEMS

According to George Polya, known as the father of modern problem solving the following
are steps to solve word problems:

Step 1: Understand the problem

Read the problem very carefully. List all the given data and identify variables that you
can use in forming a mathematical equation to solve the problem.

Step 2: Devise a plan (Translate)

When you devise a plan, you are translating given data and variables into a
Mathematical equation. Drawing a diagram or a chart can help you in analyzing given
data to set up your equation.

Step 3: Carry out the plan (Solve)

The next step is to solve the equation.

Step 4: Look back ( Check and Interpret)

Last step is to check if the answer you obtained is correct.

DISCUSSION

Example 1: A floating dock on the coast measures the depth of water below it.
It follows the equation
𝝅𝒕
𝒅(𝒕) = 𝟐. 𝟒 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟖
+ 𝟕. 𝟐 , where t is the time after midnight.

a. What is the depth of the water at midnight? 8:00 am? 2:40 am?
At midnight t=0
𝜋(0)
𝑑 (0) = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 8
+ 7.2 = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 (0) + 7.2 = 2.4(1) + 7.2 =9.6 m

At t = 8
𝜋(8)
𝑑 (8) = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 + 7.2 = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝝅 + 7.2 = 2.4(-1) + 7.2 =4.8 m
8

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40 2 8
At t= 2 =2 =
60 3 3
8
𝜋( ) 𝜋 8 𝜋
= 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3
+ 7.2 = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 . + 7.2 = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 + 7.2
8 8 3 3
1
= 2.4 . ( ) + 7.2 = 1.2 + 7.2 = 8.4 m
2

b. How many hours is the full tidal cycle?

Solution: Basically, the question is asking for the period of the function.
2𝜋 2𝜋 8
Period = = 𝜋 = 2𝝅 . =16 , therefore for a full cycle it will take 16 hours.
𝑏 𝜋
8

c. sketch one cycle of the graph.

𝝅𝒕
𝒅(𝒕) = 𝟐. 𝟒 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟖
+ 𝟕. 𝟐

Solution: Amplitude: 2.4

Period : 16 hours
Vertical Translation: 7.2 upward

The green graph is the line

y=7.2, which represents the
vertical translation of the
𝜋𝑡
graph 𝑑 (𝑡) = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 8 + 7.2
and the blue graph
represents the graph of
𝜋𝑡
𝑑(𝑡) = 2.4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 8 + 7.2. One
full cycle of the graph is 16
hours and the amplitude is
2.4.
2. A ferris wheel has a diameter of 30 meters with a center 17 meters above the
ground. It makes one complete rotation every 60 seconds.
a. Graph one complete period of the graph that models the height in relation to
time. Assume a rider starts at the lowest point.

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Solution:

30 meters

15 meters

2 meters

Let’s make table of values for one period, since it takes 60 seconds in one
complete rotation it means that the period of the function is 60 seconds. We
should divide one period into four 60 divided by 2 is 30, halfway from 0 to 30 is
15, and halfway from 30 to 60 is 45. Then evaluate the distance C(t) from the
ground. When t=0, C(t) = 2 since the ferris is elevated 2 meters from the ground.
At the ¼ of complete cycle at t= 15 seconds, C(t) = 17, the distance from the
ground would be 2 meters plus the radius of the circle which is 15 meters.

T 0 15 30 45 60
C(t) 2 17 32 17 2

b. Find the equation of the graph. Use the cosine function.

Recall the transformation of graph by reflecting about the x-axis, in the

figure above the graph of y=cosx is the color red graph in the period of 2𝜋. When
the graph is reflected about the x-axis, the function becomes y= -cosx, where in

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the y- values of the original function take the opposite sign when the y-value is
not equal to zero.

So from the graph in (a), we will use the cosine function

C(t) = A cos(B(t + C)) + D,

where in amplitude is A, the maximum is at 32 and minimum is at 2 so 32-2 is

30 and half of that is 15, so the amplitude is 15, but note that the cosine function starts
at the maximum, the graph starts at the minimum meaning that it is reflected about
the x-axis, hence the amplitude is -1 5.

The period of the graph is 2π/B, in the graph the period is 60 seconds so to find B

𝟐𝝅 𝟐𝝅 𝝅
= 60 → 𝟐𝝅 = 𝟔𝟎𝑩 → B= =
𝑩 𝟔𝟎 𝟑𝟎

The graph has no phase shift so C = 0. The vertical shift is D, the midline of the
graph is not the x-axis it is at y = 17, so it means the graph is translated vertically 17
meters so D= 17.

𝝅𝒕
So the function is C(t) = -15 cos + 17.
𝟑𝟎

c. What is the height of the rider at 45 seconds?

At t= 45 seconds
(𝟒𝟓)𝝅 𝟑𝝅
C(45) = -15 cos + 17 = -15 cos ( )+ 17 =-15(0)+17 =17 meters.
𝟑𝟎 𝟐

Hence, at 45 seconds the height is 17 meters.

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ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. Riding a Ferris Wheel

Zoe is riding a ferris wheel that starts on the ground and measures the height
from the top to be 10 meters and it took 4 minutes to get there. Write an equation
which models her height off the ground during her ride that gets on and off at
the bottom.
a. Give the amplitude.
b. Give the period.
c. Give the function.
d. Graph the circular function.

Activity 2. A Pendulum Problem

Problem: A pendulum swings back and fort 10 times in 8 seconds. It swings though a
total horizontal distance of 40 cm.
a. Sketch a graph of this motion for two cycles beginning with the pendulum at the end of
its swing.
b. Write an equation for this.

REMEMBER
Summarizing the properties of the graph of circular functions:

y = A sin(B(x + C)) + D

✓ amplitude is A
✓ period is 2π/B
✓ phase shift is C
✓ vertical shift is D