Problem 15. An oscillating mechanism has a maximum displacement of 2.

5m and a frequency of

60Hz. At time t=0 the displacement is 90cm. Express the displacement in the general form Asin(ωt±α).

SectionB

Trigonometricwaveforms 171

Amplitude=maximum displacement=2.5m. Angular velocity, ω=2π f =2π(60)=120π rad/s. Hence

displacement=2.5 sin (120πt+α)m. When t=0, displacement=90cm=0.90m. Hence 0.90=2.sin(0+α) i.e.

sinα= 0.90 2.5 =0.36 Hence α=arcsin0.36=21.10◦=21◦6 =0.368rad Thus displacement=2.5

sin(120πt+0.368)m

Problem 16. The instantaneous value of voltage in an a.c. circuit at any time t seconds is given by

v=340sin(50πt−0.541)volts. Determine: (a) the amplitude, periodic time, frequency and phase angle (in

degrees) (b) the value of the voltage when t=0 (c) the value of the voltage when t=10ms (d) the time

when the voltage first reaches 200V

(e) the time when the voltage is a maximum. Sketch one cycle of the waveform.