CHAPTER 6 - SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS

MCR3U - UNIT 3
TOPIC HOMEWORK QUESTIONS EXTENSION QUESTIONS

6.1 PERIODIC FUNCTIONS AND THEIR p. 352 #2, 3a-f, p. 353 #4, 5, p. 354 #6, -
PROPERTIES 7, p. 355 #8-10, p. 356 #13

6.2 & 6.3 INVESTIGATING AND INTERPRETING p. 370 #1a-e, p. 371 #4-6, p. 373 #13 -
SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS

6.4 & 6.5 TRANSFORMATIONS OF SINUSOIDAL p. 383 #1, 2, p. 384 #5, 6, 7 a-e (sketch -
FUNCTIONS only), p. 385 #10

6.6 & 6.7 SOLVING PROBLEMS USING p. 391 #4, p. 392 #5, p. 393 #11, p. 398 p. 393 #13, 14, p. 401 #13
SINUSOIDAL MODELS #1, 2, p. 399 #6

CHAPTER 6 REVIEW p. 404 #1, 4, 8, p. 405 #9, 10, 12a, 13 -

⇀ NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE UNIT PLAN CALENDAR ON GOOGLE CLASSROOM FOR LESSON AND ASSESSMENT DATES.
MCR3U | 譚 6.1 PERIODIC FUNCTIONS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

LEARNING GOAL: We are learning to explore the properties and characteristics of periodic functions so that we can model
real-world scenarios and interpret their significance.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
I can explain what a periodic function, cycle, period, amplitude, and equation of axis is. [C]
I can determine the period, amplitude, and equation of axis of a periodic function, given its graph. [K/U]
I can model a real-world scenario using a periodic function and interpret the significance of the period, amplitude, and
equation of axis in the given context. [A]

“Why do they never serve beer at a math party? Because you can’t drink and derive.”

A PERIODIC FUNCTION is a function that has a pattern of y-values that repeats at regular intervals.

One complete pattern in a periodic function is called a CYCLE. The horizontal length of one cycle is called the PERIOD. The
EQUATION OF AXIS (or the centre line) is the middle line of the vertical value:

The AMPLITUDE is the distance between the maximum and minimum values and the equation of axis, and can be calculated by:

⇀ EXAMPLE / Identify the period, amplitude, and equation of axis of the following function:
⇀ PRACTICE 1 / Identify the period, amplitude, and equation of axis of the following function (you can estimate the value for
period):

⇀ PRACTICE 2 / Determine whether the following functions are periodic. If so, state the period, amplitude, and equation of axis.

a) the average number of hours of daylight over a three year period

b) the motion of a piston on an automated assembly line

c) a student moving a metre stick back and forth with progressively larger movements
⇀ EXAMPLE / A Ferris wheel with a radius of 7 m makes one complete revolution every 60 s. The bottom of the wheel is 2m
above the ground.

a) Draw a graph to show how a person’s height above the ground varies with time for two revolutions.

TIME (s) HEIGHT (m)

b) Determine the period and amplitude of the function. Explain what these characteristics represent in this situation.

c) Predict how the graph will change in each of the following situations:

⇀ if the Ferris wheel turns more slowly

⇀ if the Ferris wheel turns more quickly

⇀ if the radius of the Ferris wheel is increased

⇀ if the radius of the Ferris wheel is decreased

⇀ PRACTICE 3 / A cutting machine is used to cut metal strips in a factory. The following graph models the motion of the cutting
blade on the machine in terms of time.

State the period, maximum height, minimum height, and amplitude. Explain what these characteristics represent in this situation.

CHARACTERISTIC VALUE EXPLANATION

PERIOD

MAXIMUM HEIGHT

MINIMUM HEIGHT

AMPLITUDE

⇀ HOMEWORK / p. 352 #2, 3a-f, p. 353 #4, 5, p. 354 #6, 7, p. 355 #8-10, p. 356 #13
MCR3U | 譚 6.2 & 6.3 INVESTIGATING AND INTERPRETING SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS

LEARNING GOAL: We are learning to explore the properties and characteristics of sinusoidal functions so that we can model
real-world scenarios and interpret their significance.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
I can explain what a sinusoidal function is. [C]
I can determine the period, amplitude, and equation of axis of a sinusoidal function, given its graph. [K/U]
I can interpret the significance of the period, amplitude, and equation of axis of a sinusoidal function that models a
real-world scenario. [K/U]
I can graph a sinusoidal function to model a real-world scenario, given information about its period, equation of axis, and
amplitude in the given context. [T/I]

“How did the farmer end up with 100 sheep when he started the day with 97? The sheepdog rounded them up.”

A SINUSOIDAL function is a periodic function that looks like smooth, symmetrical waves, and can be created by transforming the
graph f (x) = sin x or f (x) = cos x.

PARENT FUNCTION: f (x) = sin x PARENT FUNCTION: f (x) = cos x

PERIOD: PERIOD:
AMPLITUDE: AMPLITUDE:
DOMAIN: DOMAIN:
RANGE: RANGE:
x-INTERCEPTS: x-INTERCEPTS:

What transformation can be applied to the graph of f (x) = cos x to obtain the graph of f (x) = sin x?
⇀ EXAMPLE / Student A and student B are riding their bikes. Their bikes have a pebble stuck in their tires. The two graphs below
show the heights of the pebbles above the ground over time.

Determine the period, amplitude, and equation of axis for both graphs. Which tire rotates faster? Which bike has the faster speed?

⇀ PRACTICE 1 / The graphs below show information about two paddle wheels on two different boats.

Determine the period, amplitude, and equation of axis for both graphs. Which wheel rotates faster? Which paddle wheeler has the
faster speed?
⇀ EXAMPLE / A water wheel, whose centre is at water level, has a radius of 2 m. It rotates once every 20 s. Sketch a
height-versus-time graph of the sinusoidal function that models this situation. Draw two cycles.

⇀ PRACTICE 2 / A Ferris wheel has a diameter of 25 m and starts 5 m off of the ground. It takes 2 min to complete a revolution.
Sketch a height-versus-time graph of the sinusoidal function that models this situation. Draw two cycles.

⇀ HOMEWORK / p. 370 #1a-e, p. 371 #4-6, p. 373 #13

MCR3U | 譚 6.4 & 6.5 TRANSFORMATIONS OF SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS

LEARNING GOAL: We are learning to revise our knowledge on transformations of functions so that we can apply these
transformations on sinusoidal functions and graph them.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
I can explain what the five-point method for graphing sinusoidal functions is. [K/U]
I can explain the roles of a, k, c, and d on a parent sinusoidal function. [C]
I can graph a sinusoidal function that has been reflected, vertically or horizontally compressed or stretched, and/or
translated from its parent function. [K/U]

“Which triangle is the coldest? An ice-sosceles triangle.”

The general form for a transformed sinusoidal function is::

f (x) = asin [k(x - d)] + c or f (x) = acos [k(x - d)] + c

SUMMARY OF TRANSFORMATIONS:

a < 0: reflection along x-axis 1

0 < |k| < 1: horizontal stretch by a factor of
|a| > 1: vertical stretch by a factor of a 𝑘
c > 0: translation c units up
0 < |a| < 1: vertical compression by a factor of a
c < 0: translation c units down
k < 0: reflection along y-axis
1 d > 0: translation d units right
|k| > 1: horizontal compression by a factor of d < 0: translation d units left
𝑘

SKETCHING SINUSOIDAL FUNCTIONS USING THE FIVE-POINT METHOD

f (x) = sin x f (x) = cos x

The PERIOD of a sinusoidal function will be 360/k. The five key points above are equally spaced along the x-axis, so we can
divide the period into quarters, by dividing by 4.

The AMPLITUDE of a sinusoidal function will be |a|. The EQUATION OF AXIS of a sinusoidal function will be y = c. The PHASE
SHIFT of a sinusoidal function will be d.
⇀ EXAMPLE / Sketch the function f (x) = 3sin [2(x - 90°)] + 2.

1
⇀ EXAMPLE / Sketch the function f (x) = cos [2(x - 60°)].
2

1
⇀ EXAMPLE / Sketch the function f (x) = -2sin ( x + 90°) - 1.
2
⇀ PRACTICE 1 / Sketch the function f (x) = -2cos (3x) + 1.

⇀ PRACTICE 2 / Sketch the function f (x) = 4sin [2(x - 30°)] + 1.

⇀ HOMEWORK / p. 383 #1, 2, p. 384 #5, 6, 7 a-e (sketch only), p. 385 #10
MCR3U | 譚 6.6 & 6.7 SOLVING PROBLEMS USING SINUSOIDAL MODELS

LEARNING GOAL: We are learning to manipulate the properties and characteristics of sinusoidal functions that we learned in this
chapter so that we can determine sinusoidal functions to model real-world scenarios.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
I can determine an equation for a sinusoidal function given its graph. [K/U]
I can determine the period, amplitude, equation of axis, domain, and range of a sinusoidal function modelling a real-world
scenario and explain the meaning of these characteristics in the specific context. [A]
I can draw a sinusoidal function to model a real-world scenario, determine the equation of the function, and use this
equation to calculate unknown values. [A]

“Why did the student do his multiplication problems on the floor? His teacher told him not to use tables.”

⇀ EXAMPLE / Determine an equation for each of the following sinusoidal functions:

⇀ EXAMPLE / The Moon is always half illuminated by the Sun. How much of the Moon we see depends on where it is in its orbit
around Earth. The table shows the proportion of the Moon that was visible from Southern Ontario on days 1 to 74 in the year
2006:

a) Determine the equation of the sinusoidal function that models the proportion of visible Moon in terms of time.

b) Use the equation to determine the proportion of the Moon that is visible on day 110. Round your answer to one decimal place.

⇀ EXAMPLE / The volume of air in the lungs during normal breathing is a sinusoidal function of time. Suppose a person’s lungs
contain 2200 mL to 2800 mL of air during normal breathing. Suppose a normal breath takes 4 s, and time t = 0 corresponds to a
minimum volume. Draw a quick sketch of the sinusoidal function that models this situation, and then write an equation for the
function.
⇀ PRACTICE 1 / The Star of Nanchang was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel from 2006 to 2008. It has a diameter of 160 m and
completes one revolution in 30 min. Let h metres represent the height of a rider after t minutes. Assume that you start on the
ground (ie. 0 m).

a) Draw a quick sketch of the sinusoidal function that models the height of a rider over time, and then write an equation for the
function.

c) If you go for a ride on the wheel, how high are you after 6 minutes? Round your answer to one decimal place.

d) Determine the speed of the ferris wheel. Round your answer to the nearest tenth.

⇀ HOMEWORK / p. 391 #4, p. 392 #5, p. 393 #11, p. 398 #1, 2, p. 399 #6
⇀ EXTENSION** / p. 393 #13, 14, p. 401 #13