Match each equation with its graph. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.
A
B
C
15.2
Activity
Fans Everywhere
Here are three equations for three different fans. Each equation describes the height, , in feet above the ground, of a point at the tip of a blade of a different fan. The point is at the far right when the angle takes the value 0. Describe each fan and how it is spinning.
15.3
Activity
Spinning Fan
A fan has a radius of 1 foot. A point, , starts in the position shown in the picture. The center of the fan is at and point is at the position on the circle. The fan turns in a counterclockwise direction.
Sketch a graph of the horizontal position, , in feet, of as a function of the angle of rotation, , of the fan from its starting position.
How does this graph compare to the graph of ?
Sketch a graph of the vertical position, , in feet, of as a function of the angle of rotation, , of the fan.
How does this graph compare to the graph of ?
Student Lesson Summary
The graphs of cosine and sine functions can be translated vertically or horizontally, and the size or height of their graphs can also be modified similarly to how we transformed other types of functions in an earlier unit. Let’s look at the graphs of and .
The coefficient 2 stretches the graph vertically, doubling the amplitude of the sine graph. This means that the distance from the midline to the maximum or minimum value is now 2 instead of 1. Adding 3 to the equation translates the midline up by 3 units.
What if we want to translate the graph of to the left? We can do this by adding an angle to the input, . Let’s look at the graph of . The graph of this function looks just like the graph of translated to the left by . (It also looks a lot like !)
Glossary
None
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