Lesson 4-7

Lesson
Vocabulary
Scale-Change Images of
4-7 Trigonometric Functions
sine wave
amplitude
frequency

BIG IDEA The Graph Scale-Change Theorem can be applied

to obtain the equation, amplitude, and period of scale-change
images of the graph of a parent trigonometric function.

Sine Waves Mental Math

A pure tone, such as that produced by a tuning fork, travels in a sine
wave. A sine wave is the image of the graph of the sine or cosine The expression 3r – 8 is in
function under a composite of translations and scale changes. The pitch the form ax – h. Rewrite it
x – _a
h
of the tone is related to the period of the wave; the longer the period, the in the form _._1
lower the pitch. The intensity of the tone is related to the amplitude of a
the wave. The amplitude of a sine wave is half the distance between its
maximum and minimum values.
period = DF An oscilloscope is used to
1
amplitude = DE
2
D F record changes in the voltage
of an electric current.

QY1 QY1

Stretching a sound sine wave vertically changes the intensity of the tone. The range of the
Stretching a sound wave horizontally changes its pitch. Recall from sine function is
Lesson 3-5 that a scale change is a mapping S: (x, y) → (ax, by) centered {y | –1 ≤ y ≤ 1}, so the
at the origin with a ≠ 0 and b ≠ 0. Under this scale change, an equation amplitude of the graph of
y y = sin x is ? .
for the image of y = f(x) is _ = f (_
x
a ).
b
Example 1 shows how a scale change affects both the amplitude and
period of a sine wave.

Example 1
Consider the function with equation y = 6 cos(_3 ).
x

a. Explain how this function is related to its parent function, the cosine
function.
b. Identify its amplitude and its period.
(continued on next page)

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 Chapter 4

Solution
a. Divide each side of the given equation by 6. This rewrites the function rule
in a form that can be analyzed using the Graph Scale-Change Theorem.
y
_
6
= cos _ x
( 3)
y
In the equation y = cos x, y has been replaced by _6 and x by _3 . The
x

graph of the parent function is stretched vertically by a

factor of 6 and horizontally by a factor of 3. y
6
b. The vertical stretch means that the maximum and minimum x
y = 6 cos
values of the parent function are multiplied by 6. Hence, the 4
3

given function has amplitude _(6 – –6) = 6. The

1
2
horizontal stretch means that the period 2π of the parent 2
function is also stretched by a factor of 3. So the given x
function has a period of 3(2π) = 6π. -20 -10 10 20
y = cos x -2
Check Graphs of parts of y = cos x and y = 6 cos (_3 )
x

are shown at the right. Only a little more than two cycles of -4

y = 6 cos (_3 ) are shown, but from this you can see that the
x
-6
amplitude and period found above were correct.

If the graphs of y = cos x and y = 6 cos(_x ) in Example 1 represented

3
sound waves, the sound of y = 6 cos(_x ) would be 6 times as loud and
3
have a lower pitch than that of y = cos x.
y y
In general, the functions defined by _ = sin(_x ) and _ = cos(_x ) are
a a
b b
equivalent to the functions defined by
y = b sin(_x ) and y = b cos(_x ),
a a
where a ≠ 0 and b ≠ 0, and their graphs are images of the graphs of the
parent functions
y = sin x and y = cos x
under the scale change that maps (x, y) to (ax, by). The theorem below
indicates the relationship of the constants a and b to the properties of
the sine waves.

Theorem (Properties of Sine Waves)

The graphs of the functions defined by y = b sin(_ax ) and
y = b cos(_ax ) have amplitude = ⎪b⎥ and period = 2π⎪a⎥.

QY2 QY2

There is a corresponding theorem for the graph of the function with In the theorem, why is
y absolute value used in
equation _ = tan(_
x
a ). However, the parent tangent function does not have
b the calculation of both
an amplitude and the period of the parent tangent function is π, so the
y amplitude and period?
period of _ = tan(_
x
a ) is π⎪a⎥.
b

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 Lesson 4-7

Example 2 y
4 Maximum
The graph at the right shows an image of the graph of y = sin x under a
scale change. Find an equation for the image.
Solution An equation for the image is of the form y = b sin(_). From the
x 2
a
graph, there is a minimum at (45°, –4) and a maximum at (135°, 4). The
difference between the maximum and minimum values of y is x
8, so the amplitude is 4. The graph shows a cycle from 0° to 180°, -135˚ -45˚ 45˚ 135˚ 225˚ 315˚
so the period is 180°. Therefore, |b| = 4 and 360°|a| = 180°.
Thus, b = 4 or -4 and a = _ or – _. Consider the four possibilities.
1 1 -2
2 2

y = 4 sin(2x) -4
Minimum
y = –4 sin(2x)
y = 4 sin(-2x)
y = –4 sin(-2x)

Notice that the graph pictured must be a reflection image of the

graph of the parent sine function since, for example, starting at
zero, the graph decreases as you move towards 45°. One
equation that will produce the graph is y = –4 sin(2x).

Check Use a graphing utility to check that your equation

produces the given graph.

QY3 QY3
Which of the other
choices in the solution will
The Frequency of a Sine Wave produce the graph?
Notice that the graph of y = cos x in Example 1 completes 3 cycles for
every one completed by the graph of y = 6 cos(_x ). We say that y = cos x
3
has three times the frequency of y = 6 cos(_x ). In general, the frequency
3
of a periodic function is the reciprocal of the period, and represents
the number of cycles the curve completes per unit of the independent
variable. Thus, the frequency of the cosine function is _ 1
, and the
2π
_
x
frequency of the function y = 6 cos( ) is ._1
3 6π
When a sine wave represents sound, doubling the frequency results
in a pitch one octave higher. So the graph of y = 6 cos(_x ) represents
3
a sound with pitch between one and two octaves lower than the pitch
represented by y = cos x and with 6 times the intensity. It is common in
these situations to view the x-axis as representing time. In sound waves,
the y-axis represents pressure, typically measured in newtons
(abbreviated N) per square meter, _ N
2
.
m

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Chapter 4

Example 3
A tuning fork vibrates with a frequency of 512 cycles per second. The intensity
of the tone is the result of a vibration whose maximum pressure is 22 _2 . Find
N
m
an equation to model the sound wave produced by the tuning fork.
Solution The equation has the form y = b sin(_) where x is the time in
x
a
seconds after the tuning fork is struck. The frequency is the reciprocal of the
period, so
512 = _.
1
2π⎪a⎥
Solve for a to get a = ±_ 1
.
1024π
The maximum pressure of the air gives the amplitude b = 22. Choosing the
positive value of a, the equation is y = 22 sin(1024πx).

Knowing the number of cycles per unit of independent variable can help Tuning In Tuning forks are
you solve trigonometric equations. most commonly used to tune
musical instruments to the
note “A.”

Example 4
Without using technology, determine how many solutions each equation below
has on the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π. Confirm your answer with a graph.
b. 5 tan(_2 )= 3
x
a. cos(3x) = 0.8
Solution
a. The parent cosine function has two solutions in the interval y
y = 0.8
1
0 ≤ x ≤ 2π because this domain represents one cycle.
y = cos(3x) is the image of y = cos x under a x
horizontal shrink of magnitude _
1
3
. That means that π
2
π 3π
2
each cycle of y = cos(3x) is one-third as long as a -1
y = cos(3x)
cycle of y = cos x, so there will be three cycles on
the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π and six solutions. A graph
confirms that there are six points of intersection of y = cos(3x)
and y = 0.8 on 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π. y

b. The graph of y = 5 tan _ is the image of the graph

x 5 x
(2) y = 5 tan 2

of y = tan x under a horizontal stretch by a factor y=3

of 2. So each cycle is twice as long, and there are
x
half as many points of intersection on the interval π 3π
0 ≤ x ≤ 2π. Therefore, there is only one solution. 2 π 2

The graph at the right confirms a single solution.

-5

260 Trigonometric Functions

 Lesson 4-7

Questions
COVERING THE IDEAS
1. Consider the function with equation y = _15 sin x.
a. True or False The graph of this function is a sine wave.
b. What is its period?
c. What is its amplitude?
d. Sketch graphs of y = _1 sin x and y = sin x on the same set of
5
axes for –π ≤ x ≤ 2π.
e. Describe how the two graphs in Part d are related.
In 2 and 3, an equation for a sine wave is given.
a. Find its amplitude. b. Find its period.
y
2. y = 3 cos x 3. _ = cos (_x )
4 3 y
3
4. Multiple Choice Which equation could yield the graph at the right?
θ
A y = 3 sin(2θ) B y = 3 cos(2θ) -540˚ 180˚ 540˚ 900˚
C y = 3 cos _θ ( 2) D y = 3 sin _θ( 2) -3

5. a. Find an equation of the image of the graph of y = sin x under

the transformation (x, y) → (5x, y).
y
b. Find the amplitude and period of the image. 6

6. a. Give the period and amplitude of y = _15 sin(3θ).

x
b. Check using a graphing utility.
-8π -4π 4π 8π
7. The graph at the right is an image of the graph of y = sin x under
a scale change. Find an equation for this curve. -6

8. Refer to the graph sketched at the right. y

5
a. Identify the amplitude, period, and frequency.
b. Fill in the Blanks If this graph represents a sound wave, x
then that sound is ? times as loud and has ? times the -2π -π π 2π

frequency of the parent sound wave with equation y = sin x. -5

9. Suppose one tone has a frequency of 330 cycles per second, and a
second has a frequency of 660 cycles per second.
a. Which has the higher pitch?
b. How many octaves higher is that pitch?
10. How many solutions does sin(5x) = 0.65 have for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π?
11. Sketch one cycle of 6y = cos(_4x ), and label the zeros of the function.
12. Multiple Choice A sound wave whose parent is the graph of
y = sin x has 3 times the frequency and 7 times the amplitude of the
parent. What is a possible equation for this sound wave?
A y = 7 sin(3x) B y = 7 sin _1 x
(3 ) Most modern full-size
C y = 3 sin _17 x( ) D y = _1 sin _17 x
( ) pianos have 88 keys
3
spanning 7_4 octaves.
1

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Chapter 4

13. Consider a tuning fork vibrating at 440 cycles per second and
displacing air molecules by a maximum of 32 _ N
. Give a possible
m2
equation for the sound wave that is produced.

APPLYING THE MATHEMATICS

14. Residential electricity is called AC for “alternating current,”
I
because the direction of current flow alternates through a 10

(amperes)
circuit. The current (measured in amperes) is a sine function

Current
t
of time. The graph at the right models an AC situation.
1 2
60 60
a. Write an equation for current I as a function of time t. -10
Time (seconds)
b. Find the current produced at 0.04 seconds.
15. Which of the functions f, g, and h, defined by f(x) = tan x,
g(x) = tan(3x), and h(x) = 3 sin(2x), have the same period?
In 16–18, match each equation with its graph below.
y y
16. _2 = sin(_x ) 2
17. 2y = sin(__2x ) 18. _2 = sin(2x)
A B C
y
y y
2 2 2

1 1
1
x x x
-3π -2π -π π 2π 3π -3π -2π -π π 2π 3π -3π -2π -π π 2π 3π
-1
-1 -1
-2
-2 -2

REVIEW
19. Given that tan 0.675 ≈ 0.8, find three other values of θ with
tan θ ≈ 0.8. (Lesson 4-6)
20. Find the exact value of tan(–120º). (Lesson 4-4)
21. Give the radian equivalent to each. (Lesson 4-1)
a. –720º b. 225º c. 315º
22. State the Graph-Translation Theorem. (Lesson 3-2)
23. a. Graph f(x) = x 3 and its image under the translation
T: (x, y) → (x + 3, y – 1).
b. Find an equation for the image. (Lesson 3-2)

EXPLORATION
24. Pitch and loudness are common words for the frequency QY ANSWERS
and amplitude of sound. Light waves are also modeled with
trigonometric functions. 1. 1
a. What properties of light do the frequency and amplitude of light 2. Both are distances and
waves represent? cannot be negative.
b. Name some other characteristics that sound waves and light
3. y = 4 sin(–2x)
waves share.

262 Trigonometric Functions