Sine and Cosine Graphs

Reading and Drawing

Sine and Cosine Graphs

Some slides in this presentation contain animation. Slides will be

more meaningful if you allow each slide to finish its presentation
before moving to the next one.

Esc Back Next 

 This is the graph for y = sin x.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

This is the graph for y = cos x.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

Esc Back Next 

 y = sin x
One complete period is
highlighted on each of
these graphs.
3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

y = cos x

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

For both y = sin x and y = cos x, the period is 2π. (From the beginning of
a cycle to the end of that cycle, the distance along the x-axis is 2π.)

Esc Back Next 

 y = sin x
Amplitude deals with the
1
height of the graphs.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

-1

y = cos x
1

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2
-1

For both y = sin x and y = cos x, the amplitude is 1. Each of these

graphs extends 1 unit above the x-axis and 1 unit below the x-axis.

Esc Back Next 

 For y = sin x, there is no phase shift.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

The y-intercept is located at the point (0,0).

We will call that point, the key point.

Esc Back Next 

 3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

A sine graph has a phase shift if the key point

is shifted to the left or to the right.

Esc Back Next 

 For y = cos x, there is no phase shift.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

-1

The y-intercept is located at the point (0,1).

We will call that point, the key point.

Esc Back Next 

A cosine graph has a phase shift if the key point
is shifted to the left or to the right.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

Esc Back Next 

For a sine graph which has no vertical shift, the equation for the
graph can be written as

y = a sin b (x - c)

For a cosine graph which has no vertical shift, the equation for the
graph can be written as

y = a cos b (x - c)

Esc Back Next 

 y = a sin b (x - c) y = a cos b (x – c)

|a| is the amplitude of the sine or cosine graph.

The amplitude describes the height of the graph.

3
2
Consider this sine graph. Since
the height of this graph is 3, then 1
a = 3.
3   3
 2     -1 0  2
2 2 2 2
The equation for this graph can -2
be written as y = 3 sin x.
-3

Esc Back Next 

Consider this cosine graph. The height of this graph is 2, so a = 2.

2
1

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 -1 2 2
-2

The equation for this graph can be written as y = 2 cos x.

Esc Back Next 

If a sine graph is “flipped” over the x-axis, the value of a will be negative.

3
2
1

3  -1  3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2
-2
-3

For the graph above, a = -3.

An equation for this graph is y = -3 sin x.

Esc Back Next 

If a cosine graph is “flipped” over the x-axis, the value of a will be negative.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2
-1

For the graph above, a = -1.

An equation for this graph is y = -1 cos x or just y = - cos x.

Esc Back Next 

y = a sin b (x - c) y = a cos b (x - c)

“b” affects the period of the sine or cosine graph.

For sine and cosine graphs, the period can be determined by

2
period  .
b
Conversely, when you already know the period of a sine or cosine
graph, b can be determined by
2
b .
period

Esc Back Next 

 4
The period for this graph is . Use the period to calculate b.
3
2
1

b
2

2  3
4 2   2 4
    0  period  4  2
3 3 3 3 3 3  
-1  3 
-2

Notice that a =2 on this graph since the graph extends 2 units above
the x-axis.

3
Since b  and a = 2, the sine equation for this graph is
2

3
y  2 sin x.
2

Esc Back Next 

 3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

A sine graph has a phase shift

if its key point has shifted to the
left or to the right.

3   3
 2    0  2
2 2 2 2

A cosine graph has a phase shift

if its key point has shifted to the
left or to the right.

Esc Back Next 

 y = a sin b (x - c) y = a sin b (x - c)

“c” indicates the phase shift of the sine graph or of the

cosine graph. The x-coordinate of the key point is c.

y = sin x

1 
This sine graph moved
2
units to the right. “c”, the phase
shift, is  .
3   3 5
   0  2
2 2 2 2 2
2
-1
 
An equation for this graph can be written as y  sin  x  .
 2

Esc Back Next 

 y = cos x

5 3   3
  2    0  2
2 2 2 2 2
-1

This cosine graph above moved units to the left.
2


“c”, the phase shift, is  .
2

An equation for this graph can be written as

     
y  cos x      or y  cos x   .
  2   2

Esc Back Next 

 Graphs whose equations can be written as a sine function can also be
written as a cosine function.

4
3
2
1

4 2  -1  2 4
    
3 3 3 -2 3 3 3
-3
-4

Given the graph above, it is possible to write an equation for the

graph. We will look at how to write both a sine equation that describes
this graph and a cosine equation that describes the graph.

The sine function will be written as y = a sin b (x – c).

The cosine function will be written as y = a cos b (x – c).

Esc Back Next 

 y = a sin b (x – c)
4
3
2
1

4 2  -1  2 4
    
3 3 3 -2 3 3 3
-3
-4

For the sine function, the values for a, b, and c must be determined.

The height of the graph is 4, so a = 4.

4 2 2 3 3
The period of the graph is . b   . b .
3 period 4 2 2
3
  
The key point has shifted to  , so the phase shift is  . c .
3 3 3
Esc Back Next 
 y = a sin b (x – c)

4
3
2
1

4 2  -1  2 4
    
3 3 3 -2 3 3 3
-3
-4

3 
a=4 b c
2 3

3    3 
y  4 sin  x      or y  4 sin  x  
2  3  2 3

This is an equation for the graph written as a sine function.

Esc Back Next 

 y = a cos b (x – c)

4
3
2
1

4 2  -1  2 4
    
3 3 3 -2 3 3 3
-3
-4

To write the equation as cosine function, the values for a, b, and c

must be determined. Interestingly, a and b are the same for cosine as
they were for sine. Only c is different.
The height of the graph is 4, so a = 4.

4 2 2 3 3
The period of the graph is . b   . b
3 period 4 2 2
3
The key point has not shifted, so there is no phase shift. That means
that c = 0.

Esc Back Next 

 y = a cos b (x – c)

4
3
2
1

4 2  -1  2 4
    
3 3 3 -2 3 3 3
-3
-4

3
a=4 b c0
2

3 3
y  4 cos x  0  or y  4 cos x
2 2

This is an equation for the graph written as a cosine function.

Esc Back Next 

It is important to be able to draw a sine graph when you are given the
corresponding equation. Consider the equation

 
y  2 sin 2  x   .
 8
Begin by looking at a, b, and c.

 
y  2 sin 2  x   .
 8


a  2 b2 c
8

Esc Back Next 

   a  2 a 2
y  2 sin 2 x  
 8

The amplitude is 2. Maximums will be at 2.

2

-2
Minimums will be at -2.

The negative sign means that the graph has “flipped” about the x-axis.

-2

Esc Back Next 

  
 c
y  2 sin 2 x   8
 8


The phase shift is .
8

That means that the key point 8
shifts from the origin to  .
8

b2
Use b = 2 to calculate the period of the graph.

2 2
period   
b 2

8

One complete period is highlighted here.

Esc Back Next 

In order to correctly label the x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums on
the graph, you will need to divide the period into 4 equal parts or
increments.
An increment, ¼ of the period, is the distance between an x-intercept and
a maximum or minimum.

One increment


8

  
The increment is ¼ of the period. Since the period for y  2 sin 2 x  
 8
1 
is π, the increment is   or .
4 4

Esc Back Next 

To label the graph, begin at the phase shift. Add one increment at a time
to label x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums.

  3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17

 0 8
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
-2
  5 
 3  
8 4  8 4
8 4

 
y  2 sin 2  x  
 8

Esc Back Next 

 1
What does the graph for the equation y  5 cos x    look like?
2

1
a5 b c  
2

a5 a 5 Maximums will be at 5.

This means that the 5

amplitude of the graph is 5.

-5

Minimums will be at -5.

Esc Back Next 

 1
y  5 cos  x   . c  
2
The phase shift is  . 5

That means that the key point

shifts from the origin to  . 
-5

1
Use b  to calculate the period of the graph.
2
5
2 2
period    4
b 1
2 
-5
One complete period is highlighted here.

Esc Back Next 

Remember that the increment (¼ of the period) is the distance between
an x-intercept and a maximum or minimum.
1
Since the period for y  5 cos  x    is 4π, the increment is π.
2

Don’t forget that x-intercepts, maximums, and minimums can be labeled

by beginning at the phase shift and adding one increment at a time.

 2 
  0  2 3 4  5  This is the graph for
1
y  5 cos  x   .
-5 2
-π + π 0+π π+π

Esc Back Next 

Sometimes a sine or cosine graph may be shifted up or down. This is
called a vertical shift.

The equation for a sine graph with a vertical shift can be written as

y = a sin b (x - c) +d.

The equation for a cosine graph with a vertical shift can be written as

y = a cos b (x - c) +d.

In both of these equations, d represents the vertical shift.

Esc Back Next 

A good strategy for graphing a sine or cosine function that has a
vertical shift:
•Graph the function without the vertical shift
• Shift the graph up or down d units.

1
Consider the graph for y  5 cos  x     3 .
2

The equation is in the form y = a cos b (x - c) +d.

“d” equals 3, so the vertical shift is 3.
5
1
The graph of y  5 cos  x   
2
was drawn in the previous example.  2   0  2 3 4  5 

-5
1
y  5 cos x  
2

Esc Back Next 

 1
To draw y  5 cos  x     3 , begin with the graph for y  5 cos 1 x   .
2 2

8 Draw a new horizontal axis at

y = 3.
5
3

2  0  2 3 4 5 Then shift the graph up 3 units.

-5

1
y  5 cos  x    3
2
1
The graph now represents y  5 cos x     3 .
2

Esc Back Next 

 This concludes
Sine and Cosine Graphs.

Esc Back Next 