MCR3U – Unit 3B/C Date:

B/C3.1 Modelling Trigonometric Functions

Success Criteria: I will be able to…

 Create a sketch of a sinusoidal function that models a scenario given key properties & identify how
the graph or equation can change is parameters are changed
 Create an equation to model a sinusoidal function given its graph or key properties
 Solve a trigonometric equation when the dependent or independent variable is given to make
predictions
Many naturally occurring events can be modeled by trigonometric functions including tides,
temperature, phases of the moon etc. In addition, many situations involving a repeating cycle such
as a Ferris wheel and the pendulum of a clock are also modeled by trigonometric functions.

Example 1: In Georgian Bay, tides cause the water level near the shore to rise and fall over time. The
water level is 5 m during low tide and 11 m during high tide. One tide cycle occurs approximately
every 16 hours.
a) Graph the water depth, in metres, vs, time, in hours, over the next 48 hours. Assume that the
graph starts at high tide. ieMax

T.fiitcurveiy
maxtmi

EEWW spacing period

time hrs
b) Identify the following properties and state what each represent in this scenario.
Axis of the curve: Amplitude: Period:

48 101 3 16hours
ftp.tfhetiethafeshilwwatesrfh EYcaamn'changeger EYYYlachY.intfYqtefideeve
betweenstill waterand
highlowtide
c) At what time(s) does low tide occur? d) Determine the equation of a sine
function that models the depth of water
8hr24hr 40hr after t seconds.
every16h04b 101 3 6 360 P.SUright
9 8 4

df 35in t 473 8
MCR3U – Unit 3B/C Date:
e) How would the graph change if you f) Write a new equation to model the
started measuring the water depth at low change in part (e).
tide?

Itwouldappear as areflection d t 35in431 47 8

in the x axis

Example 2: A Ferris wheel has a diameter of 16 m, with the bottom of the wheel 2 m above the
ground. It takes 20 seconds for the Ferris wheel to complete one full rotation.max n
a) If a rider boards a car when it is at its lowest point, sketch a graph of the
rider for two revolutions.
16m
hemhuuve spacing
mais 8m
aff.mg 240 5sees keypoint
mina.my

a
a) Determine an equation of a cosine b) Determine the height of a rider after 12
function that models the rider’s height seconds.
after t seconds.
41127 40551811273 10
net 4005118 7 10
19 40 138 16.5

reflection in x axis The rider Effffothyground

c) How would the graph change if the Ferris d) Write a new equation to model the
wheel was moving twice as slow? change in part (d).
Illustrate this change with a dashed line.
Kchanges
newperiod 40secs 6 3 hit 400519 7 10
spacing 440 10secskeypoint 8
9
Thesame as a horizontalstretch
bato 2