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Sine and Cosine Graphs

Reading and Drawing
Sine and Cosine Graphs
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more meaningful if you allow each slide to finish its presentation
before moving to the next one.
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This is the graph for y = sin x.
This is the graph for y = cos x.
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t t
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t 2
2
3
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2 2
3
2
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t t
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2 2
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y = sin x
y = cos x
One complete period is
highlighted on each of
these graphs.
For both y = sin x and y = cos x, the period is 2. (From the beginning of
a cycle to the end of that cycle, the distance along the x-axis is 2.)
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t 2
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2 2
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2 2
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y = sin x
y = cos x
Amplitude deals with the
height of the graphs.
For both y = sin x and y = cos x, the amplitude is 1. Each of these
graphs extends 1 unit above the x-axis and 1 unit below the x-axis.
1


-1
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2 2
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For y = sin x, there is no phase shift.
The y-intercept is located at the point (0,0).
We will call that point, the key point.
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t t
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2 2
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A sine graph has a phase shift if the key point
is shifted to the left or to the right.
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t t
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t 2
2
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2 2
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1


-1
For y = cos x, there is no phase shift.
The y-intercept is located at the point (0,1).
We will call that point, the key point.
t
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t t
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t 2
2
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2 2
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2
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A cosine graph has a phase shift if the key point
is shifted to the left or to the right.
t
t
t
t t
t
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t 2
2
3
2
0
2 2
3
2
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y = a sin b (x - c)
For a sine graph which has no vertical shift, the equation for the
graph can be written as
For a cosine graph which has no vertical shift, the equation for the
graph can be written as
y = a cos b (x - c)
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y = a sin b (x - c) y = a cos b (x c)
|a| is the amplitude of the sine or cosine graph.
The amplitude describes the height of the graph.
Consider this sine graph. Since
the height of this graph is 3, then
a = 3.

The equation for this graph can
be written as y = 3 sin x.
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t t
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t 2
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3
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2 2
3
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1

-1
-2
-3
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Consider this cosine graph. The height of this graph is 2, so a = 2.







The equation for this graph can be written as y = 2 cos x.
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t t
t
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t 2
2
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2 2
3
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1

-1
-2
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If a sine graph is flipped over the x-axis, the value of a will be negative.
For the graph above, a = -3.
An equation for this graph is y = -3 sin x.
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t 2
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2 2
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-1
-2
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If a cosine graph is flipped over the x-axis, the value of a will be negative.
For the graph above, a = -1.
An equation for this graph is y = -1 cos x or just y = - cos x.
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-1
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y = a sin b (x - c) y = a cos b (x - c)
b affects the period of the sine or cosine graph.

For sine and cosine graphs, the period can be determined by
.
b
2
period
t
=
Conversely, when you already know the period of a sine or cosine
graph, b can be determined by
.
period
2
b
t
=
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3
4
3
2
3
0
3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

2
1

-1
-2
The period for this graph is .
3
4t
( )
2
3
3
4
2
period
2
b =
|
.
|

\
| t
t
=
t
=
Notice that a =2 on this graph since the graph extends 2 units above
the x-axis.
. x
2
3
sin 2 y =
2
3
b = Since and a = 2, the sine equation for this graph is
Use the period to calculate b.
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A sine graph has a phase shift
if its key point has shifted to the
left or to the right.
A cosine graph has a phase shift
if its key point has shifted to the
left or to the right.
t
t
t
t t
t
t
t 2
2
3
2
0
2 2
3
2
t
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t t
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t 2
2
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0
2 2
3
2
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y = a sin b (x - c) y = a sin b (x - c)
c indicates the phase shift of the sine graph or of the
cosine graph. The x-coordinate of the key point is c.

2
5
2
2
3
2
0
2 2
3 t
t
t
t
t t
t
t

2
t
This sine graph moved
units to the right. c, the phase
shift, is .
2
t
An equation for this graph can be written as
.
2
x sin y |
.
|

\
|
t
=
1



-1
y = sin x
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t
t
t
t t
t
t
t
t
2
2
3
2
0
2 2
3
2
2
5
This cosine graph above moved units to the left.

c, the phase shift, is .
2
t
2
t

An equation for this graph can be written as

.
2
x cos y or
2
x cos y |
.
|

\
|
t
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
t
=
1



-1
y = cos x
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Graphs whose equations can be written as a sine function can also be
written as a cosine function.
Given the graph above, it is possible to write an equation for the
graph. We will look at how to write both a sine equation that describes
this graph and a cosine equation that describes the graph.

The sine function will be written as y = a sin b (x c).
The cosine function will be written as y = a cos b (x c).
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3
2
3 3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

4
3
2
1

-1
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-4
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y = a sin b (x c)
For the sine function, the values for a, b, and c must be determined.
The height of the graph is 4, so a = 4.
The period of the graph is .
2
3
3
4
2 2
.
3
4
=
t
t
=
t
=
t
period
b
.
2
3
= b
The key point has shifted to , so the phase shift is
3
t
.
3
t

.
3
t
= c
3
4
3
2
3 3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

4
3
2
1

-1
-2
-3
-4
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y = a sin b (x c)
a = 4
2
3
b =
3
c
t
=
|
.
|

\
|
t
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
t
=
3 2
3
sin 4
3 2
3
sin 4 x y or x y
3
4
3
2
3 3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

4
3
2
1

-1
-2
-3
-4
This is an equation for the graph written as a sine function.
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3
4
3
2
3 3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

4
3
2
1

-1
-2
-3
-4
y = a cos b (x c)
To write the equation as cosine function, the values for a, b, and c
must be determined. Interestingly, a and b are the same for cosine as
they were for sine. Only c is different.
The height of the graph is 4, so a = 4.
The period of the graph is .
2
3
3
4
2 2
.
3
4
=
t
t
=
t
=
t
period
b
2
3
b =
The key point has not shifted, so there is no phase shift. That means
that c = 0.
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a = 4
2
3
b =
0 c =
( ) x
2
3
cos 4 y or 0 x
2
3
cos 4 y = =
y = a cos b (x c)
3
4
3
2
3 3 3
2
3
4 t
t
t t t

t
t
t

4
3
2
1

-1
-2
-3
-4
This is an equation for the graph written as a cosine function.
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It is important to be able to draw a sine graph when you are given the
corresponding equation. Consider the equation


Begin by looking at a, b, and c.
. x sin y
|
.
|

\
|
=
8
2 2
t
. x sin y
|
.
|

\
|
=
8
2 2
t
8
2 2
t
= = = c b a
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The amplitude is 2. Maximums will be at 2.



Minimums will be at -2.

The negative sign means that the graph has flipped about the x-axis.
|
.
|

\
|
t
=
8
2 sin 2 x y
2 a 2 a = =
2



-2
2



-2
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The phase shift is

That means that the key point
shifts from the origin to
|
.
|

\
|
t
=
8
2 sin 2 x y
8
t
= c
.
8
t
.
8
t
8
t
2 = b
Use b = 2 to calculate the period of the graph.
t =
t
=
t
=
2
2
b
2
period
One complete period is highlighted here.
8
t
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In order to correctly label the x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums on
the graph, you will need to divide the period into 4 equal parts or
increments.
An increment, of the period, is the distance between an x-intercept and
a maximum or minimum.
One increment
The increment is of the period. Since the period for
is , the increment is ( ) .
4
or
4
1 t
t
|
.
|

\
| t
=
8
2 sin 2 x y
8
t
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To label the graph, begin at the phase shift. Add one increment at a time
to label x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums.
|
.
|

\
|
=
8
x 2 sin 2 y
t
2




-2
8
3t
4 8
t t
+
4 8
3 t t
+ 4 8
5 t t
+
8
17
8
15
8
13
8
11
8
9 t t t t t
8
5t
8
7t
8
0
8
t t

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What does the graph for the equation look like?
( ) t + = x
2
1
cos 5 y
t = = = c b a
2
1
5
Maximums will be at 5.






Minimums will be at -5.
This means that the
amplitude of the graph is 5.
5 a 5 a = =
5



-5
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The phase shift is

That means that the key point
shifts from the origin to
t = c
. t
. t
Use to calculate the period of the graph.
t =
t
=
t
= 4
2
1
2 2
b
period
One complete period is highlighted here.
( ).
2
1
cos 5 t + = x y
2
1
= b
5



-5
t
5



-5
t
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Remember that the increment ( of the period) is the distance between
an x-intercept and a maximum or minimum.

Since the period for is 4, the increment is .

Dont forget that x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums can be labeled
by beginning at the phase shift and adding one increment at a time.
( ) t + = x y
2
1
cos 5
t t t t t t t 5 4 3 2 0 2
- +
This is the graph for
( ).
2
1
cos 5 t + = x y
0 + +
5



-5
t
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Sometimes a sine or cosine graph may be shifted up or down. This is
called a vertical shift.
y = a sin b (x - c) +d.
The equation for a sine graph with a vertical shift can be written as
The equation for a cosine graph with a vertical shift can be written as
y = a cos b (x - c) +d.
In both of these equations, d represents the vertical shift.
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A good strategy for graphing a sine or cosine function that has a
vertical shift:
Graph the function without the vertical shift
Shift the graph up or down d units.

Consider the graph for

The equation is in the form y = a cos b (x - c) +d.
d equals 3, so the vertical shift is 3.

The graph of
was drawn in the previous example.


( ) . 3
2
1
cos 5 + t + = x y
( ) t + = x y
2
1
cos 5
( ) t + = x y
2
1
cos 5
t t t t t t t 5 4 3 2 0 2
5



-5
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To draw , begin with the graph for
( ) 3
2
1
cos 5 + t + = x y ( ). x
2
1
cos 5 y t + =
( ) t + = x y
2
1
cos 5
Draw a new horizontal axis at
y = 3.

Then shift the graph up 3 units.
5



-5
t t t t t t t
5 4 3 2 0 2
8
3
3 +
The graph now represents
( ) . 3 x
2
1
cos 5 y + t + =
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This concludes
Sine and Cosine Graphs.