PeriodicFunctions A functi

regulari
from the
of a per
and its n
The Bay of Fundy, which stretches
between the provinces of New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia, has the highest tides in
the world. Typically, high tide reaches
11 m to 15 m in height as
100 billion tonnes of seawaterflow in
and out of the Bay of Fundy during one
tide cycle.
To learn more about tides, currents, and
water levels go to www.mcgrowhill.co/
functionsapplicotionsl 1 and follow the
links.

Detern
the pe
a)

Howcanyouidentify
a graphthatrepresents
periodic
behaviour? rft
\'
The graph shows the predicted height of water at Hopewell Cape,
New Brunswick, during high and low tides for the first seven days
of May 2OO7,beginning at midnight on May 1.

1 . D e s c ri b ethe graph. h

2. The graph illustrates 10,0

a) Thi
periodic behaviour, y-vt
^7\
which is a regular, E
; b) Thi
predictable occurrence. igos.o inte
-o
Why are tides this
2.5
considered to exhibit beg
periodic behaviour? the
01?3456I
3. Consider the portion Time(days) Per
of the graph from midnight The
on May 3 to midnight on Muy 4 (from t:2 to f : 3). betv
a ) E s ti m a t e: vaiu
i) the maximum value, or the height of high tide min
ii) the minimum value, or the height of low tide
amp
iii) the time between high tides
iv) the time between low tides
b) What would one complete pattern of the graph represent?

4. Give three other examples of periodic behaviour. Explain what

dom
characteristics make them periodic.

232 MHRFunctions 7 7 . Chapter5

ond Applicotions
A function is a periodic function if it repeatsa pattern, or cycle, at periodic function
regular intervals. The period of the function is the horizontal distance . a functionthat hasa
from the beginning of one cycle to the end of that cycle. The amplitude patternof y-valuesthat
of a periodic function is half the differencebetween its maximum value repeatsat regularintervals
of its domain
and its minimum value.
cycle
. one completepatternof a
periodicfunction
m a x i m u mv a l u e

amplitude period
. the horizontallengthof one
minimum
value cycleof a periodicfunction

amplitude
. half the distancebetween
the maximum andminimum
valuesof a periodic
,,,:1.,;. ldentifythe Graphof a Periodic
Function function
$;r.'r.:
5
Determine whether or not each function is periodic. If it is, determine
the period, amplitude, domain, and range.
b)

f,i i,'i,:.:::

This graph is not periodic becausethe graph doesnot repeatits

y-values.The maximum and minimum values keep changing.
This graph repeatsits y-values at regular
intervals.It is periodic. To find the period of
this function, Iocatepoints representingthe
beginning and end of a cycle. The period is
the differencein the x-coordinates.
Period : 6.
The amplitude is half the difference
between the maximum and minimum
values.For this function, the maximum value is 4 and the
minimum value is -3.
4 - (-3)
amplitude : L
z
_7
2
: 3.5

domain : { x e R | - Z < x < 1 6 1 r a n g e: l y e R | - 3 < y = 4 1

5.1 P eri odiFuncti

c . MH R 233
ons
 FindPeriodic
Function
Values Comm
y : fl") is a periodic function.
cI A1
a) Find the value of flO). Determine two hei
y = f(x)
other values of x that give the same \ a)l
value of /
b)l
-2 \-1 /ol \ r l z \x
b) Find the value of flO.s). Determine c)l
- l1
two other values of x that give the I
same value of /
-2
CZ Ar"
c) Determine the domain and range of
De
the function.

Pract
a ) From the graph,flO) : 2. Two other
values of x that give the same value
of /are x: 2 and x - -2. y = f(x) f''
\
^
/\ For help
b) F ro m th e g raph,fl O.S ) : 0. Tw o 0y
\(O.s, \ Example
other values of x that give the same -z -1 /0
I
T|TJT
v a l u e o f / a r e x : Z . Sa n d x : - 1 . 5 . l-1
1. Dete
,t , t
PUI IL
c) d o m a i n : { x e R } v_2 a)
range: {ye R | -Z<y=ZI

Key Concepts
o A periodic function repeats
its y-values at regular intervals.
o The period of the function is
the length of one cycle, measured along the horizontal axis.
b)
t The amplitude of the function - minimum value
is calculated as maximum value

amplitude

c)

234 MHRFunctionsond Appticotions

7 7 . Chapter5
Communicate
YourUnderstanding
c1 A person is bouncing on a trampoline. The graph represents the
height of the person above the ground over time.
a) Explain why the function is periodic.
b) Describe how you would determine the period of the function.
c) Describe how you would determine the amplitude of the
4812
function. Time(s)

c2 A weight on a spring is bouncing up and down.

Describe the graph of its height relative to time.

Practise
Determinethe period, amplitude,domain,
Oz. and rangefor eachperiodic function.
For help with questions i. and 2, refer to
a)
Example L.

1. Determine whether or not each graph is

periodic. Justify your decision.
a)

b)

b)

c)

c)

5 , 1 P e r i o d iFcu n c t i o n sM
. H R2 3 5
For help with question 3, refer to Example 2. 5 . The electrical current in homes and offices 7 . The
is called alternating current, or AC. The hou
3. y : flx) is a periodic function.
graph shows the current, in amperes, over eac
three cycles. Explain why the current would ww1
be considered alternating and describe the and
periodic nature of the function. for r
L

^0.4
g
E
go
-0,4
a) F ind t he v a l u e o f f (z ), f(4 ), a n d /(z .s ).
b) Find two other values of x that give the
same values of /as you found in part a).

Connect
andApply 6. A sound wave from a pure musical note
looks like the graph on the left. When
4. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a graphical
you play a CD or an MPS file with the
representation of the voltage, in millivolts,
sound turned up, an amplifier "clips" the
generated by the heart muscle during a
sound to protect the speakersfrom being
heartbeat. An ECG provides information
damaged.In this case,the graphresembles
about the performance of the heart.
the one on the right.
The graph shows the cycle of a normal
heartbeat of a person. Determine the m a x t m uo
mutput a) I\

f-fr
maximum value, the minimum value, the a
amplitude, and the period of this function. b)t
-]-I-Tt E
v
clv
<)i

;00 n
Clipped
Signal
r!1 n tl
E
d)v
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 r Which characteristicof the sound wave o
Time(s)
has been "clipped" by the amplifier-the
period or amplitude?Explain. 8. C h a
Go to www.mcgrawhill.ca/ volu
functi ons ap pl ic atio ns 11 and follow the p€rs
links to learn more about an ECG and the
V
cardiac cycle.
120
j
=
;80
E
=
I 40

236 MHRFunctionsond Appticotions77 . Chapter5

7. The table shows the number of daylight
hours in Sudbury, Ontario, on the 21st of
eachmonth for one year. Go to
vvvvw.mcgrawhill. ca/functi onsapp Ii cati ons11
and follow the links to explore similar data
for other locations.
9. This graph shows the time of day of the
a) Doesthis representa periodic function?
Explain your reasoning.
b) A person'sheartbeatslows down during
periods of sleepand speedsup during
physical exercise.How would the graphs
from thesetwo periods differ from each
other?How would they be similar?
sunrise and the sunsetin Toronto, Ontario,
over a 1-yearperiod.
t
24:0O
|!

3o t o'oo
0,
tr
F 08:00

00:00
J F M A M , o J , " os o N D ,

a) Describehow the graphswould look if

extendedto the previous and following
years.Explain.
a) Make a scatterplot of the data and draw b) Describewhat happenedin early March
a curve of best fit.
and early November.Would these
b) Doesthis representa periodic function? be periodic phenomena?Justify your
Explain your reasoning. reasoning.
c) What are the maximum and minimum
10. The graph shows the mean monthly high
number of hours of daylight? When do
and low temperatures,in degreesCelsius,
they occur?
for Brockville, Ontario, using recorded data
d) Why do you think data for the 21st day from over 30 vears.
of eachmonth is chosen?
v
ChapterProblem The graph showsthe 30
volume of blood in the left ventricle of a
person'sheart over a time span of 5 s. 20

V 10
120
J
F 0
;80 -10
E
940

a) Predict the high and low temperatures

for a day in April 2O'J.5.
b) How accuratewould your predictions
be?Explain your reasoning.

5.1 P eri odiFuncti

c . MH R 237
ons
ri
7-
ffii
ffi
1 1 . The Spinning Wheel ride at a local fair is
a large vertical wheel that rotates around a AchievementCheck
Circ
stationary axis. The table shows the height, 12. A child is swinging on
in metres, above the ground of a person a swing in the park. The
riding the Spinning Wheel. width of her swing path is
The Fer
4 m and one swing back
Ferris,I
and forth takes about 2 s.
World F
a) Draw a graph that 2 1 6 0p e
represents the distance As you r
from rest after f seconds. the grou
b) Explain why the swing's motion is a determi
periodic function. samelor
c) When might a child's swinging not be aboveth
peri odi c?
d) Other playground equipment also have
a periodic component. Explain how a
periodic function relates to a
teeter-totter, a merry-go-round, or a set
of monkey bars.
Howa
Cxtend I Conn
i ,.',
.i!;;).,
rit;L iniil
'';r,t,::

a) Make a scatter plot of the data.
b) Do the data appear to be periodic?
Explain.
c) Draw a curve of best fit and extend it for
13. Basil is on a large vertical spinning wheel I tnt
at an amusement park. He starts his ride at do
I
the lowest point, which is 3 m above the
ground. The radius of the Ferris wheel is | .. o."
7 m, and it is rotating at 2.5 revolutions per

lil
an entire ride that lasts 1 min.
minute. Sketch a graph representing Basil's
d ) What is the difference between the
height above the ground, relative to time,
maximum and the minimum height
for a 2-min ride.
reached during the ride?

;;
|

;:;
|

lll
Bettinacompleted a three-year degree of sal t,andhowl i ghtandsoundtravel
i n e a rtha n da tmo s p heri c ences
sci at i n w avepatterns,Thi si nformati on
a n On ta ri uo n i v e rs i ty
andthenw ent canbe usedto bui l da computer model
o nto a c h i e v he e rm a ster'degree
s in of anoceancl i mate,w hi chhel os
o c e a n o g ra p In
h yh. e rcareer asa physi cal meteorologists to predictthe weather. ;:;
o c e a n o g ra p hBee r,tti nastudi es currents, B etti na'data
s al socanbe usedto fi nd |
tides,andwaves,andhowthey interact out howseal evel shavechanged over I s. nin
w i thth e a tmo s p h e re. S hecol l ects, ti meandi f thesechanges mi ghtpose
analyses, andinterprets
te m p e ra tu o
dataon the
ref th e w ater,the amount
anenvi ronmental hazard,
t"'o
238 MHRFunctions 7 I . Chapter5
ond Appticotions