4

Graphs of the
Circular
Functions

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 Graphs of the Circular
4
Functions
4.1 Graphs of the Sine and Cosine
Functions
4.2 Translations of the Graphs of the Sine
and Cosine Functions
4.3 Graphs of the Tangent and Cotangent
Functions
4.4 Graphs of the Secant and Cosecant
Functions
4.5 Harmonic Motion
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4.1 Graphs of the Sine and
Cosine Functions
Periodic Functions ▪ Graph of the Sine Function ▪ Graph of the
Cosine Function ▪ Graphing Techniques, Amplitude, and Period ▪
Connecting Graphs with Equations ▪ Using a Trigonometric Model

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 Periodic Functions

Many things in daily life repeat with a predictable

pattern, such as weather, tides, and hours of
daylight.

This periodic graph represents a normal heartbeat.

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Periodic Function
A periodic function is a function f such that
f(x) = f(x + np),
for every real number x in the domain of f,
every integer n, and some positive real
number p. The least possible positive value
of p is the period of the function.

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 Periodic Functions

The circumference of the unit circle is 2 , so the

least possible value of p for which the sine and
cosine functions repeat is 2.

Therefore, the sine and cosine functions are

periodic functions with period 2 and the
following statements are true for every integer n.

sin x  sin( x  n  2 ) and cos x  cos( x  n  2 )

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Values of the Sine and Cosine
Functions

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Sine Function f(x) = sin x

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 Sine Function f(x) = sin x

 The graph is continuous over its entire domain,

(–, ).
 Its x-intercepts are of the form n, where n is an
integer.
 Its period is 2.
 The graph is symmetric with respect to the
origin, so the function is an odd function. For all
x in the domain, sin(–x) = –sin x.

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Cosine Function f(x) = cos x

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 Cosine Function f(x) = cos x

 The graph is continuous over its entire domain,

(–, ).
 Its x-intercepts are of the form , where
n is an integer.
 Its period is 2.
 The graph is symmetric with respect to the
y-axis, so the function is an even function. For
all x in the domain, cos(–x) = cos x.

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 Example 1 GRAPHING y = a sin x

and compare to the graph of

y = sin x.

For a given value of x, the value of y is twice what it

would be for y = sin x. The only change in the graph
is the range, which becomes [–2, 2].

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Example 1 GRAPHING y = a sin x (continued)

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Amplitude
The amplitude of a periodic function is half
the difference between the maximum and
minimum values. It describes the height of
the graph both above and below a
horizontal line passing through the “middle”
of the graph.

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Amplitude
The graph of y = a sin x or y = a cos x,
with a ≠ 0, will have the same shape as the
graph of y = sin x or y = cos x, respectively,
except with range [–|a|, |a|].

The amplitude is |a|.

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 Graphs of the Sine and Cosine
Functions
No matter what the value of the amplitude, the
periods of y = a sin x and y = a cos x are still 2.

Now consider y = sin 2x.

One complete cycle occurs in  units.

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 Graphs of the Sine and Cosine
Functions
Now consider y = sin 4x.

One complete cycle occurs in units.

In general, the graph of a function of the form

y = sin bx or y = cos bx, for b > 0, will have a
period different from 2 when b ≠ 1.
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 Graphs of the Sine and Cosine
Functions
Divide the interval into four equal parts to
obtain the values for which sin bx or cos bx equal
–1, 0, or 1.
These values give the minimum points, x-intercepts,
and maximum points on the graph.

Find the midpoint of the interval by adding the

x-values of the endpoints and dividing by 2. Then
find the midpoints of these two intervals using the
same procedure.
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 Example 2 GRAPHING y = sin bx

Graph y = sin 2x and compare to the graph of

y = sin x.
The coefficient of x is 2, so b = 2, and the period is
The graph will complete one period over the interval [0, π].

The endpoints are 0 and and the three points

between the endpoints are

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 Example 2 GRAPHING y = sin bx (continued)

The x-values are

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Example 2 GRAPHING y = sin bx (continued)

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Period
For b > 0, the graph of y = sin bx will
resemble that of y = sin x, but with
period

For b > 0, the graph of y = cos bx will

resemble that of y = cos x, but with
period

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 Example 3 GRAPHING y = cos bx

Graph over one period.

The period is

The endpoints are 0 and and the three points

between the endpoints are

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Example 3 GRAPHING y = cos bx (continued)

The amplitude is 1.

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Guidelines for Sketching Graphs
of Sine and Cosine Functions
To graph y = a sin bx or y = a cos bx, with
b > 0, follow these steps.

Step 1 Find the period, Start with 0

on the x-axis, and lay off a distance of
Step 2 Divide the interval into four equal
parts.
Step 3 Evaluate the function for each of
the five x-values resulting from Step 2.
The points will be maximum points,
minimum points, and x-intercepts.

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Guidelines for Sketching Graphs
of Sine and Cosine Functions

Step 4 Plot the points found in Step 3, and

join them with a sinusoidal curve
having amplitude |a|.

Step 5 Draw the graph over additional

periods as needed.

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 Example 4 GRAPHING y = a sin bx

Graph y = –2 sin 3x over one period.

Step 1
For this function, b = 3, so the period is

The function will be graphed over the interval

Step 2
Divide the interval into four equal parts to get
the x-values

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 Example 4 GRAPHING y = a sin bx (continued)

Step 3
Make a table of values determined by the x-values
from Step 2.

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 Example 4 GRAPHING y = a sin bx (continued)

Steps 4, 5
       2 
Plot the points (0,0),  , 2 ,  ,0 ,  ,2 , and  ,0 .
6  3  2   3 
Join the points with a sinusoidal curve with amplitude
2. The graph can be extended by repeating the cycle.

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 Note
When a is negative, the graph of
y = a sin bx is the reflection across
the x-axis of the graph of
y = |a| sin bx.

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 Example 5 GRAPHING y = a cos bx FOR b THAT IS
A MULTIPLE OF π

Graph y = –3 cos x over one period.

Step 1
Since b = , the period is

The function will be graphed over the interval [0, 2].

Step 2
Divide the interval [0, 2] into four equal parts to get the
x-values

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 Example 5 GRAPHING y = a cos bx FOR b THAT IS
A MULTIPLE OF π (continued)

Step 3
Make a table of values determined by the x-values
from Step 2.

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 Example 5 GRAPHING y = a cos bx FOR b THAT IS
A MULTIPLE OF π (continued)

Steps 4, 5
Plot the points
Join the points with a
sinusoidal curve with
amplitude |–3| = 3. The
graph can be extended by
repeating the cycle.

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 Note
When b is an integer multiple of π,
the x-intercepts of the graph are
rational numbers.

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 Example 6 DETERMINING AN EQUATION FOR A
GRAPH

Determine an equation
of the form y = a cos bx
or y = a sin bx, where
b > 0, for the given
graph.

This graph is that of a cosine function that is reflected

across its horizontal axis, the x-axis. The amplitude is
half the distance between the maximum and
minimum values.
1 1
2   2  (4)  2
2 2
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 Example 6 DETERMINING AN EQUATION FOR A
GRAPH (continued)

Because the graph

complete a cycle on the
interval [0,4π], the
period is 4π. We use
this fact to solve for b.
2
4 
b
An equation for the
4 b  2 graph is
1 1
b y  2cos x.
2 2
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 Example 7 INTERPRETING A SINE FUNCTION
MODEL

The average temperature (in °F) at Mould Bay,

Canada, can be approximated by the function

where x is the month and x = 1 corresponds to

January, x = 2 corresponds to February, and so on.

(a) To observe the graph over a two-year interval and

to see the maximum and minimum points, graph f
in the window [0, 25] by [–45, 45].

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 Example 7 INTERPRETING A SINE FUNCTION
MODEL (continued)

The amplitude of the graph is 34 and the period is

The function has a period of 12 months, or 1 year,

which agrees with the changing of the seasons.
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 Example 7 INTERPRETING A SINE FUNCTION
MODEL (continued)

(b) According to this model, what is the average

temperature during the month of May?

May is the fifth month, so the

average temperature during
May is

See the display at the bottom of the screen.

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 Example 7 INTERPRETING A SINE FUNCTION
MODEL (continued)

(c) What would be an approximation for the average

yearly temperature at Mould Bay?

From the graph, it appears that the average yearly

temperature is about 0°F since the graph is centered
vertically about the line y = 0.
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