Graphs of the six Circular Functions 1

Period
- the length of one complete cycle.
Amplitude
- the absolute value of one-half of the difference between its greatest and lowest function
values.
-it also indicates the height of the graph.
Displacement
-the amount by which the graph is shifted from the basic curve either to the right or to the left.
-the horizontal displacement is also known as the phase shift.
Translation
-the amount by which the graph is shifted up or down from the basic curve.
-also known as the vertical translation.
A. Graph of the Sine Function

Properties of the curve f(x)= sin x

1. The period is 2 π .
2. The amplitude is equal to 1.
3. The zero of the sine function are 0, π , 2 π , …, n π where n is an integer.
4. The sine function is an odd function, i.e., sin(-x) = -sin x
5. The graph of the function is symmetric with to the origin.
π
6. The maximum values of the function occur at x = + 2n π where n is an integer.
2
3π
7. The minimum values of y = sin x occur at x= + 2n π where n is an integer.
2
Example :
1. y = 5 sin x amplitude = 5 period = 2 π .

2. y = 10 sin x amplitude = 10 period = 2 π .

For comparison, and using the same y-axis scale, here are the graphs of p(x) = sin x, q(x) = 5 sin x and r(x) =
10 sin x on the one set of axes. Note that the graphs have the same period (which is 2π) but different
amplitude.

B. Graph of y = a sin bx

2
Properties of the curve f(x) = a sin bx

1. The function f(x) is periodic, with period p = |2bπ |

.

2. The amplitude is equal to |a|.

p np
, p ,… ,
3. The zeros of f(x) = a sin bx are 0, where n is an integer.
2 2
p
4. The maximum values of the function occur at x = + np where n is an integer.
4
3p
5. The minimum values of y = sin x occur at x= + np where n is an integer.
4
Examples:
1. y = 4 sin 8x
π
a. amplitude = |a| = |4| = 4. b. period = |2bπ | |28π |
= =
4
c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts.
π 3π
p π 1 π 3p 3π 1 3π
= 4 = ∙ = = 4 = ∙ =
4 4 4 16 4 4 4 16
4 4
π
p π 1 π π
= 4 = ∙ = p=
2 4 2 8 4
2

d.

2. y = -4 sin 8x
π
a. amplitude = |a| = |−4| = 4. b. period = |2bπ | |28π |
= =
4
c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts.
π 3π
p π 1 π 3p 3π 1 3π
= 4 = ∙ = = 4 = ∙ =
4 4 4 16 4 4 4 16
4 4
π
p π 1 π π
2
= 4 = 4 ∙2 = 8 p=
4
2
d.
C. The graph of y = a sin (bx+c) 3
The graph of y = a sin (bx+c) is just the graph of y = a sin bx translated horizontally. The horizontal
c c c c c
translation or phase shift is given by . If > 0 we move units to the left and if < 0 we move
b b b b b
units
to the right.
Example:
π
(
1. y = sin x−
2).

a. amplitude = |a| = |1| = 1. b. period = |2bπ | |21π |

= = 2π.

π
c π π
c. phase shift = - 2 = - , we move units to the right.
b 2 2
1
p 2π 2π π π π
4
= 4 = 4 = 2 ----------------------- 2 + 2 = π
p 2π π 3π
= = π ------------------------ π+ =
2 2 2 2
3 p 3(2 π ) 3 π 3π π
4
= = 2
------------------------ 2
+ 2 = 2π
4
π 5π
p = 2π ------------------------ 2π + =
2 2

d.

( π2 ).
2. y = sin x +

a. amplitude = |a| = |1| = 1. b. period = |2bπ | |21π |

= = 2π.

π
c π π
c. phase shift = 2 = , we move units to the left.
b 2 2
1
p 2π 2π π π π
4
= 4 = 4 = 2 ----------------------- 2 2
- =0
p 2π π π
= = π ------------------------ π- =
2 2 2 2
3 p 3(2 π ) 3 π 3π π
4
= = 2
------------------------ 2
- 2 =π
4
π 3π
p = 2π ------------------------ 2π - =
2 2
d.
D. The graph of the Cosine Function 4

Properties of the curve f(x) = cos x

1. The period is 2 π .
2. The amplitude is equal to 1.
π 3π nπ
3. The zeros of the cosine function are , ,…, , where n is an odd integer.
2 2 2
4. The cosine function is an even function ; i.e., cos(-x) = cos x
5. The maximum values of the cosine function occur at x = 2 nπ and the minimum values occur at x =
(2 n+1)π where n is an integer.
Examples:
p(x) = cos x q(x) = 5 cos x r(x) = 10 cos x

E. The graph of y = a cos bx

Properties of the curve f(x) = a cos bx

1. The function f(x) is periodic, period = p = |2bπ | .

2. The amplitude is equal to |a|.

p 3 p 5p (2n−1) p
3. The zeros of f(x) = a cos bx are, , ,…, where n is an integer.
4 4 4 4
4. The maximum values of the function occur at x = np where n is an integer.
 ( 2n−1 ) p
5. The minimum values of the function occur at x= where n is an integer.
2

Examples: 5
1. Y = 3 cos 2x

a. amplitude = |a| = |3| = 3. b. period = |2bπ | |22π |

= =π

c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts.

p π 3p 3π
4
= 4 4
= 4
p π
= 2 p= π
2

1. Y = - 3 cos 2x

a. amplitude = |a| = |−3| = 3. b. period = |2bπ | |22π |

= =π

c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts.

p π 3p 3π
4
= 4 4
= 4
p π
= p= π
2 2

F. The graph of y = a cos ( bx + c )

The graph of y = a cos (bx+c) is just the graph of y = a cos bx translated horizontally. The horizontal
c c c c c
translation or phase shift is given by . If > 0 we move units to the left and if < 0 we move
b b b b b
units
to the right.
Examples:
1. Y = 3 cos(2x−π ).

a. amplitude = |a| = |3| = 3. b. period = |2bπ | |22π |

= =π

c −π
c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts. The phase shift is = (right)
b 2
 p π π π 3π
4
= 4
------------- 4
+ 2
= 4
p π π π
2
= 2 ------------- 2
+2= π
3p 3π 3π π 5π
4
= 4
------------- 4
+2= 4
π 3π
p= π ---------------- π + =
2 2

2. Y = 3 cos(2x+ π ).

a. amplitude = |a| = |3| = 3. b. period = |2bπ | |22π |

= =π

c π
c. Dividing the period into 4 equal parts. The phase shift is = (left)
b 2
p π π π π
4
= 4
------------- 4
- 2
= - 4
p π π π
2
= 2 ------------- 2 2
- = 0
3p 3π 3π π π
4
= 4
------------- 4
-2=4
π π
p= π ---------------- π - =
2 2

G. The graphs of y = a sin (bx + c) + d and y = a cos (bx + c) + d

The graphs of y = a sin (bx + c) + d and y = a cos (bx + c) + d are graphs of y = a sin (bx + c) and
y = a cos (bx + c) which are translated d units upward if d > 0 and d units downward if d < 0,
respectively.

Examples:
1. y = 4 sin (2x - 6 π ) + 5
 a. amplitude = |a| = |4| = 4. b. period = |2bπ | |22π |
= = π.

c 6π
c. phase shift =- = - 3 π , we move 3 π units to the right.
b 2
p π π 13 π
= ----------------------- + 3π =
4 4 4 4
p π π 7π
= ------------------------ + 3π =
2 2 2 2
3 p 3π 3π 15 π
= 4 ------------------------ + 3π =
4 4 4
p=π ------------------------ π + 3π = 4π
d. The vertical translation is d = 5 (upward)

7
e. graph

2. y = 2 cos (x + π ) – 3

a. amplitude = |a| = |2| = 2. b. period = |2bπ | |21π |

= = 2π.

c π
c. phase shift = = π , we move π units to the left.
b 1
p π π π
=
4 2
----------------------- 2 - π = - 2
p
2
=π ------------------------ π - π = 0
3 p 3π 3π π
4
= 2 ------------------------ 2 - π = 2
p = 2π ------------------------ 2 π - π = π
d. The vertical translation d = -3 (downward)
e. graph
H. The graph of Tangent Function
Properties:
π
1. The tangent function is undefined for x = + n π , n is an integer. These values are called its vertical
2
asymptotes.
2. The tangent function has period equal to p = π .
3. The graph is symmetric with respect to the origin.
4. The tangent function is an odd function: tan(-x) = -tan x.

There are vertical asymptotes (the gray dotted lines) where the denominator of tan x has value zero. (An
asymptote is a straight line that the curve gets closer and closer to, without actually touching it. You can see
more examples of asymptotes in a later chapter. The graph of y = tan x is periodic with period π. This means
it repeats itself after each π as we go left to right on the graph.
I. The Graph of y = cot x
Properties:
1. The cotangent function is undefined for x = n π , n is an integer. These values are called its vertical
asymptotes.
2. The cotangent function has period equal to p = π .
3. The graph is symmetric with respect to the origin.
4. The cotangent function is an odd function: cot(-x) = -cot x.

J. The Graph of y = sec x

Properties :
1. The period is equal to 2 π .
π
2. The asymptotes occur at x = + n π , n is an integer.
2
3. The graph is symmetric with respect to the origin.
4. The secant function is an even function: sec(-x) = sec x.

y= cos x
y = sec x

K. The graph of y = csc x

Properties :
5. The period is equal to 2 π .
6. The asymptotes occur at x = n π , n is an integer.
7. The graph is symmetric with respect to the origin.
8. The cosecant function is an odd function: csc(-x) = - csc x.

y = sin x

y = csc x: