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
horizontally by p units, the new graph is identical to the original.
Given a periodic function f:
1. The period is the horizontal distance that it takes for the graph to
complete one full cycle. That is, if p is the period, then .
2. The midline is the horizontal line midway between the function’s
maximum and minimum output values.
3. The amplitude is the vertical distance between the functions’
maximum value and the midline.
Amplitude One-half of the positive One Cycle
3  ( 2) difference between the Maximum
2 y=3
maximum and the minimum
2.5
y-values.
Period The length of the interval of Minimum
83 x-values over which the y = -2
5 function completes one cycle.

Midline y = 0.5
The Sine and Cosine
Function
  3
x 0  2
2 2
sin x 0 1 0 -1 0
  3
x 0 2
 2
2
cos x 1 0 -1 0 1
 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 1 and the minimum value is –1.
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
transformation of a sine or a cosine function.
Basic Sine Curves Frequency is the number of cycles that the graph
completes in an interval of 2 radians
y  a sin bx
amplitude = a 2  3     3 2

(maximum height) 2 2 2 2
2
period = 2
b
(Number of radians to 1
complete one cycle)
amplitude = 1
y  sin x 2
period   2
1
1
amplitude = 2
y  2 sin x period 
2
 2
2
1
amplitude = 1
y  sin 2x 2
period  
2
Basic Cosine Curves
Frequency is the number of cycles that the graph
y  a cos bx completes in an interval of 2 radians

amplitude = a
2  3      3 2
(maximum height) 2 2 2 2
2
period = 2
b
(Number of radians to 1
complete one cycle)
amplitude = 1
y  cos x 2
period   2
1
1
amplitude = 2
y  2cos x period 
2
 2
2
1
amplitude = 1
y  cos2x 2
period  
2
 Comparison of Sine & Cosine
2  3      3 2
2 2 2 2
y  sin x y  cos x
2

y  2s in x 1 y  2c os x

y  s in2x y  c os2x
1

2
More Examples
 Without graphing give the amplitude, period, and
phase shift for each of the following functions.

4. 𝑦=− 4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 𝜃+ 𝜋 )
 
 
1. 𝑦 =𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
 
𝜋  
5 . 𝑦 =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 5 𝜃
(
2. 𝑦= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 −
3 )  
𝜋
 

(
3. 𝑦 =3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃+
𝜋
) (
6. 𝑦= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 3𝜃 −
2 )
2
7. 𝑦 =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 2 𝜃+ 𝜋 )
 
 Without graphing give the amplitude, period, and
phase shift for each of the following functions.

4. 𝑦=− 4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 𝜃+ 𝜋 )
 
 
1. 𝑦 =𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
 
𝜋  
5 . 𝑦 =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 5 𝜃
(
2. 𝑦= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 −
3 )  
𝜋
 

(
3. 𝑦 =3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃+
𝜋
) (
6. 𝑦= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 3𝜃 −
2 )
2
7. 𝑦 =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 2 𝜃+ 𝜋 )
 
 Write the equation of the sine function with the
following characteristics:
 
1. amplitude = 2, period = , phase shift=

 
2. amplitude = 1, period = , phase shift=
 Write the equation of the cosine function with the
following characteristics:
 
1. amplitude = 4, period = , phase shift=0

 
2. amplitude = 1, period =, phase shift=
 Graph.
 
𝜋
 
1. 𝑦 =𝑐𝑜𝑠 2𝜃 4. 𝑦=− 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 −
2 ( )
 
2. 𝑦=3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 2 𝜃  
5 . 𝑦 =4 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( 𝜃+ 𝜋 )
 
3. 𝑦 =− 𝑠𝑖𝑛 2 𝜃  
6. 𝑦=3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 2 𝜃 − 𝜋 )
1
 

(
7. 𝑦 =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 − 𝜋
4 )