Arkansas Tech University

MATH 1203: Trigonometry

Dr. Marcel B. Finan
16 Translations of Trigonometric Functions
In this section, we will rely heavily on our knowledge of transformations to
develop an ecient way of graphing periodic functions. Essentially we will
be concerned with translations of the basic trigonometric graphs.
Recall the following translations of graphs(See Section 6):
To get the graph of y = f(x c) with c > 0, move the graph of y = f(x)
to the right by c units.
To get the graph of y = f(x + c) with c > 0, move the graph of y = f(x)
to the left by c units.
To get the graph of y = f(x) + c with c > 0, move the graph of y = f(x)
upward by c units.
To get the graph of y = f(x) c with c > 0, move the graph of y = f(x)
downward by c units.
The graph of y = f(x) is a reection of the graph of f(x) about the
xaxis.
The graph of y = f(x) is a reection of the graph of f(x) about the
yaxis.
The graph of y = cf(x) is the graph of y = f(x) vertically stretched (re-
spectively compressed) by a factor of c, if c > 1 (respectively 0 < c < 1). If
c < 0 then either the vertical stretch or compression must be followed by a
reection about the xaxis.
The graph of y = f(cx) is the graph of y = f(x) horizontally stretched
(respectively compressed) by a factor of
1
c
, if 0 < c < 1 (respectively c > 1).
If c < 0 then either the horizontal stretch or compression must be followed
by a reection about the yaxis.
Graphs of y = a sin (bx + c) + d, b > 0
We will discuss transformations of the sine function of the form y = a sin (bx + c)+
d, b > 0. Similar arguments apply for the other ve trigonometric functions.
Lets look closely at the eects of each of the parameters a, b, c, and d.
1
The value a.
This is outside the function and so deals with the output (i.e. the y values).
This constant will change the amplitude of the graph, or how tall the graph
is. The amplitude, |a|, is half the distance from the top of the curve to the
bottom of the curve. Multiplying the sine function by a results in a vertical
stretch or compression (followed by a reection about the xaxis if a < 0.)
The value b.
This is inside the function and so eects the input or domain (i.e. the x val-
ues). This constant will stretch or compress the graph horizontally. However,
it will not change the period directly. For example the function y = sin (2x)
does not have period 2. The period is given by the fraction
2
b
(i.e. the original
period divided by the constant b). So for example the function y = sin (2x)
will have period
2
2
= . b tells you the number of the cycles of the sine
function on an interval of length 2. Thus, the graph of y = sin 2x consists
of two cycles of the sine function on an interval like [0, 2].
The value d.
This again is outside and so will eect the y values of the graph. This con-
stant will vertically shift the graph up and down (depending on whether d is
positive or negative).
The constant c.
This is on the inside and deals with moving the function horizontally left/right.
For example the curve y = sin (x 2) is the graph of y = sin (x) shifted hori-
zontally to the right 2 units. Note that b = 1 in this example. For b = 1, the
shift is
c
b
. To see why this is so, recall that one cycle of y = a sin (bx + c) is
completed for
0 bx + c 2.
Solving for x we nd
c bx c + 2

c
b
x
c
b
+
2
b
.
So basically, the graph of y = a sin (bx + c) is a horizontal shift of the graph
of y = a sin (bx) by
c
b
units. We call
c
b
the phase shift.
2
Guidelines for Graphing y = a sin (bx + c) + d, b > 0
To sketch the graph of y = a sin (bx + c) + d follow these steps.
1. Find the period
2
b
.
2. Find the phase shift
c
b
.
3. Find the points:
c
b
,

2b

c
b
,

b

c
b
,
3
2b

c
b
,
2
b

c
b
.
4. Compute the sine of the angles in step 3.
5. Multiply the numbers in step 4 by a.
6. Add the number d to the values obtained in step 5.
7. Plot the points in Step 6 and connect them with a smooth curve to obtain
one full cycle of the graph.
Example 16.1
Sketch one full cycle of the graph of y = sin x + 1, 0 x 2.
Solution.
Find some plotting points as suggested by the guideline
x 0

2

3
2
2
y 1 0 1 2 1
The graph consists of a reection of the graph of sin x about the x-axis and
then a vertical shift upward by 1 unit as shown in Figure 16.1.
Figure 16.1
Example 16.2
Sketch one full cycle of the graph of the function y = sin (x

4
).
Solution.
Find some plotting points as suggested by the guideline.
3
x

4
3
4
5
4
7
4
9
4
y 0 1 0 -1 0
The graph consists of a horizontal shift of sin x by

4
units to the right as
shown in Figure 16.2.
Figure 16.2
Example 16.3
Sketch one full cycle of the graph of y =
1
2
sin (x

3
).
Solution.
The amplitude is
1
2
, the period is 2, and the phase shift is

3
. Find some
plotting points.
x

3
5
6
4
3
11
6
7
3
y 0
1
2
0 -
1
2
0
Figure 16.3 shows one period of the graph on the interval [

3
,
7
3
].
Figure 16.3
4
Example 16.4
Sketch the graph of y = 3 cos (2x + 4).
Solution.
Find some plotting points.
x -2
7
4

3
2
-
5
4
-1
y -3 0 3 0 -3
The amplitude is 3, the period is
2
b
=
2
2
= 1, and the phase shift is
c
b
= 2.
Figure 16.4 shows two cycles of the graph.
Figure 16.4
5