Question

What is the period of the function `y=3 cos pi x`?

Answer 1

In a function of the form `y = asin(b(x - c)) + d` or `y = acos(b(x - c)) + d`, the period is given by evaluating the expression `(2pi)/b`.

Explanation:

`y = 3cos(pi(x))`

period = `(2pi)/pi`

period = `2`

The period is therefore 2.

Practice exercises:

1. Consider the function `y = -3sin(2x - 4) + 1`. Determine the period.

2. Determine the period of the following graph, knowing it represents a sinusoidal function.

Good luck, and hopefully this helps!