Interpreting Trigonometric Models

1. The graph of a function of the form y = p cos qx is given in the diagram below.

(a) Write down the value of p. _________

(2)

(b) Calculate the value of q. _________

(4)
(Total 6 marks)

2. The graph of y = p cos qx + r, for –5 ≤ x ≤ 14, is shown below.

There is a minimum point at (0, –3) and a maximum point at (4, 7).

(a) Find the value of

(i) p;

(ii) q;

(iii) r.
(6)

(b) The equation y = k has exactly two solutions. Write down the value of k.
(1)
(Total 7 marks)

IB Questionbank Maths SL 1
Interpreting Trigonometric Models

3. Let ƒ (x) = a sin b (x − c). Part of the graph of ƒ is given below.

Given that a, b and c are positive, find the value of a, of b and of c.

(Total 6 marks)

4. Part of the graph of y = p + q cos x is shown below. The graph passes through the points (0, 3)
and (π, –1).

0
π 2π x

–1

Find the value of

(a) p; __________

(b) q. __________

(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Maths SL 2
Interpreting Trigonometric Models

5. A spring is suspended from the ceiling. It is pulled down and released, and then oscillates up
and down. Its length, l centimeters, is modelled by the function l = 33 + 5cos((720t)°), where t is
time in seconds after release.

(a) Find the length of the spring after 1 second. _________

(2)

(b) Find the minimum length of the spring. _________

(3)

(c) Find the first time at which the length is 33 cm. _________
(3)

(d) What is the period of the motion? _________

(2)
(Total 10 marks)

6. The following graph shows the depth of water, y meters, at a point P, during one day.
The time t is given in hours, from midnight to noon.

(a) Use the graph to write down an estimate of the value of t when
(i) the depth of water is minimum;
(ii) the depth of water is maximum;
(iii) the depth of the water is increasing most rapidly.
(3)
(b) The depth of water can be modelled by the function y = A cos (B (t – 1)) + C.
(i) Show that A = 8.
(ii) Write down the value of C.
(iii) Find the value of B.
(6)
(c) A sailor knows that he cannot sail past P when the depth of the water is less than 12 m.
Graph the function and the constant function y = 12. Use the intersection command
to find the values of t between which he cannot sail past P.
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Maths SL 3
Interpreting Trigonometric Models

7. The following diagram represents a large Ferris wheel, with a diameter of 100 meters.

Let P be a point on the wheel. The wheel starts with P at the lowest point, at ground level. The
wheel rotates at a constant rate, in an anticlockwise (counterclockwise) direction. One
revolution takes 20 minutes.

(a) Write down the height of P above ground level after

(i) 10 minutes;

(ii) 15 minutes.
(2)

Let h(t) meters be the height of P above ground level after t minutes. Some values of h(t) are
given in the table below.

t h(t)
0 0.0
1 2.4
2 9.5
3 20.6
4 34.5
5 50.0

(b) (i) Show that h(8) = 90.5.

(ii) Find h(21).

(4)

(c) Sketch the graph of h, for 0 ≤ t ≤ 40.

(3)

(d) Given that h can be expressed in the form h(t) = a cos bt + c, find a, b and c.
(5)
(Total 14 marks)

IB Questionbank Maths SL 4
Interpreting Trigonometric Models

8. A formula for the depth d meters of water in a harbor at a time t hours after midnight is

π 
d = P + Q cos  t , 0 ≤ t ≤ 24,
6 

where P and Q are positive constants. In the following graph the point (6, 8.2) is a minimum
point and the point (12, 14.6) is a maximum point.

d
15 (12, 14.6)

10.

(6, 8.2)
5

0 6 12 18 24 t

(a) Find the value of

(i) Q;

(ii) P.
(3)

(b) Find the first time in the 24-hour period when the depth of the water is 10 meters.
(3)

(c) (i) Use the symmetry of the graph to find the next time when the depth of the water is
10 meters.

(ii) Hence find the time intervals in the 24-hour period during which the water is less
than 10 meters deep.
(4)

IB Questionbank Maths SL 5