Name ________________________________ Date __________ Period ______

Mr. Yates Algebra II with Trigonometry

Personal Periodic Functions Project

You each will receive two randomly-chosen periodic functions to investigate, of the form
y = f(x) = a*sin(bx) + c*cos(dx).
You will find and organize values of each function into a table, plot the points in a graph, and
describe such properties of your function as domain, range, zeros, period, and amplitude.
Then you will compare and contrast the properties of your two functions, research uses of
periodic functions, and put your information together into a brief report.

Rubric (70pts total)

5: title page
2 - picture of each graph
3 – title, name, date
25: patterns and questions
15 – 5 each, questions 1-3
10 – research and examples (question 4)
40: details on your two specific functions (20 each)
1 – function named 1 – function named
3 - graph 3 - graph
3 - points in table 3 - points in table
2 - domain 2 - domain
1 - range 1 - range
1 – max 1 – max
1 - min 1 - min
2 - zeros 2 - zeros
3 – amplitude 3 – amplitude
3 - period 3 - period

Teacher’s Comments:
Questions to Answer:

1) Which function was more interesting to you, and why?

2) What properties were the same for both functions? List as many as you notice.

3) What different properties did the two functions have? Can any of these be
explained by the coefficients (numbers) in your functions’ formulas?

4) Research periodic functions online and state two uses or real-world applications of
periodic functions. For each application, explain (~3 sentences) how periodic
functions are used in that context.
f(x) =

x f(x)

-4π
-7π/2
-3π
-5π/2
-2π
-7π/4
-3π/2
-5π/4
-π
-5π/6
-3π/4
-2π/3
-π/2
-π/3
-π/4 Domain (possible x):
-π/6
0
π/6
π/4 Range (possible y):
π/3
π/2
2π/3
3π/4 Maximum:
5π/6
π
5π/4
3π/2 Minimum:
7π/4
2π
5π/2
3π Amplitude:
7π/2
4π

Period:

Zeros:
f(x) =

x f(x)

-4π
-7π/2
-3π
-5π/2
-2π
-7π/4
-3π/2
-5π/4
-π
-5π/6
-3π/4
-2π/3
-π/2
-π/3
-π/4 Domain (possible x):
-π/6
0
π/6
π/4 Range (possible y):
π/3
π/2
2π/3
3π/4 Maximum:
5π/6
π
5π/4
3π/2 Minimum:
7π/4
2π
5π/2
3π Amplitude:
7π/2
4π

Period:

Zeros: