Amplitude, Period, Phase Shift and Frequency

Some functions (like Sine and Cosine) repeat forever and are called
 Periodic Functions.
 The Period goes from one peak to the next (or
from any point to the next matching point):

The Amplitude is the height from the center line

to the peak (or to the trough). Or we can measure
the height from highest to lowest points and divide
that by 2.
 The Phase Shift is how far the function is
shifted horizontally from the usual position.
The Vertical Shift is how far the function is
shifted vertically from the usual position.
 All Together Now!
• We can have all of them in one
equation:
y = A sin(B(x + C)) + D
• amplitude is A
• period is 2π/B
• phase shift is C (positive is to the left)
• vertical shift is D
Note that we are using radians here, not degrees,
and there are 2π radians in a full rotation.
Example: sin(x)

• This is the basic unchanged sine formula. A = 1,

B = 1, C = 0 and D = 0
• So amplitude is 1, period is 2π, there is no
phase shift or vertical shift:
Example: 2 sin(4(x − 0.5)) + 3

• amplitude 
A=2
• period 2π/B =
 2π/4 = π/2
• phase shift =
−0.5 (or 0.5 to the right)
• vertical shift 
D=3
Visual of Transformation
 2 sin(4(x − 0.5)) + 3
in words:
• the 2 tells us it will be 2 times taller than usual,
so Amplitude = 2
• the usual period is 2π, but in our case that is
"sped up" (made shorter) by the 4 in 4x, so
Period = π/2
• and the −0.5 means it will be shifted to
the right by 0.5
• lastly the +3 tells us the center line is y = +3, so
Vertical Shift = 3
 Instead of x we can have t (for time) or
maybe other variables:
Example: 3 sin(100t + 1)
First of all there should be brackets around the (t+1), but we need to
divide the 1 by 100 first:
3 sin(100t + 1) = 3 sin(100(t + 0.01))
• amplitude is
 A = 3
• period is 
2π/100 = 0.02 π
• phase shift is 
C = 0.01 (to the left)
• vertical shift is
 D = 0
Function Transformation:
 Frequency

• Frequency is how often something happens

per unit of time (per "1").
Example: Here the sine function repeats 4
times between 0 and 1:

• So the Frequency is 4
• And the Period is 1/4
 Frequency = 1/Period
Period = 1/Frequency
• Example from before: 3 sin(100(t + 0.01))
Solve 10 Questions Based on Concepts :
Q1: What is the period (wavelength) for
the function y = -5cos(3x + 2π)?

Ans: Generally for y = Acos(Bx + C) + D the

period is 2π/B

In this case, B = 3
So, the period = 2π/3
Q2: What is the amplitude for the function
y = -1.5sin(4x − 3π)?
• Ans : Generally for y = Asin(Bx + C) + D the
amplitude is |A|

In this case, A = -1.5

So, the amplitude = |-1.5| = 1.5
Q 3: What is the phase shift for the function y
= 3.2cos(1.5(x - 4π))?
Ans : Generally for y = Acos(B(x + C)) + D the
phase shift is C to the left

In this case, C = -4π

So, the phase shift = 4π to the right
Q 4: What is the frequency for the function y
= -1.5sin(4x − 3π)?
Ans : Generally for y = Asin(Bx + C) + D the
frequency is B/(2π)

In this case, B = 4
So, the frequency= 4/(2π) = 2/π
Q 5: What is the vertical shift for the function
y = 3sin(-5x − π) − 6?
Ans : Generally for y = Asin(Bx + C) + D the
vertical shift is D

In this case, D = -6
So, the vertical shift = -6
• The above shows the graph of the function y = sin(x) in red and
the graph of another sine function shown in blue.
•
What is the period (wavelength) for the function shown in blue?
 Answer
• 2pie/3
• The above shows the graph of the function y = cos(x) in red and the graph of another cosine
function shown in blue.

What is the amplitude of the function shown in blue?

Ans: 2.5
• The above shows the graph of the function y = cos(t) in red
and the graph of another cosine function shifted to the right
(or left) shown in blue.
What is the phase shift for the function shown in blue?
• Answer: pie/2
• The above shows the graph of the function y = cos(t) in red and the
graph of another cosine function shown in blue.
What is the period (wavelength} for the function shown in blue?
• Answer: 2 X 2pie
• 4 Pie
• The above shows the graph of the function y = sin(t) in red and the
graph of another sine function shifted to the right shown in blue.
• What is the phase shift for the function shown in blue?
• Answer:
 Answer
• The phase shift is how much it has shifted
from the original