• Home
  • Textbooks
  • Precalculus
  • Applications of Trigonometry

Precalculus

Carl Stitz, Jeff Zeager

Chapter 11

Applications of Trigonometry - all with Video Answers

Educators


Section 1

Applications of Sinusoids

02:58

Problem 1

The sounds we hear are made up of mechanical waves. The note 'A' above the note 'middle $\mathrm{C}^{\prime}$ is a sound wave with ordinary frequency $f=440$ Hertz $=440 \frac{\text { cycles }}{\text { second }}$. Find a sinusoid which models this note, assuming that the amplitude is 1 and the phase shift is $0 .$

Jeffrey Russell
Jeffrey Russell
Numerade Educator
02:40

Problem 2

The voltage $V$ in an alternating current source has amplitude $220 \sqrt{2}$ and ordinary frequency $f=60$ Hertz. Find a sinusoid which models this voltage. Assume that the phase is $0 .$

Amin Omidi
Amin Omidi
Numerade Educator
01:15

Problem 3

The London Eye is a popular tourist attraction in London, England and is one of the largest Ferris Wheels in the world. It has a diameter of 135 meters and makes one revolution (counterclockwise) every 30 minutes. It is constructed so that the lowest part of the Eye reaches ground level, enabling passengers to simply walk on to, and off of, the ride. Find a sinsuoid which models the height $h$ of the passenger above the ground in meters $t$ minutes after they board the Eye at ground level.

Kimberly Waterbury
Kimberly Waterbury
Numerade Educator
04:08

Problem 4

On page 732 in Section $10.2 .1,$ we found the $x$ -coordinate of counter-clockwise motion on a circle of radius $r$ with angular frequency $\omega$ to be $x=r \cos (\omega t),$ where $t=0$ corresponds to the point $(r, 0)$. Suppose we are in the situation of Exercise 3 above. Find a sinsusoid which models the horizontal displacement $x$ of the passenger from the center of the Eye in meters $t$ minutes after they board the Eye. Here we take $x(t)>0$ to mean the passenger is to the right of the center, while $x(t)<0$ means the passenger is to the left of the center.

Steven Emmel
Steven Emmel
University of California - Los Angeles
02:41

Problem 5

In Exercise 52 in Section 10.1, we introduced the yo-yo trick 'Around the World' in which a yo-yo is thrown so it sweeps out a vertical circle. As in that exercise, suppose the yo-yo string is 28 inches and it completes one revolution in 3 seconds. If the closest the yo-yo ever gets to the ground is 2 inches, find a sinsuoid which models the height $h$ of the yo-yo above the ground in inches $t$ seconds after it leaves its lowest point.

Mukesh Devi
Mukesh Devi
Numerade Educator
03:30

Problem 6

Suppose an object weighing 10 pounds is suspended from the ceiling by a spring which stretches 2 feet to its equilibrium position when the object is attached.
(a) Find the spring constant $k$ in $\frac{\text { lbs. }}{\mathrm{ft} .}$ and the mass of the object in slugs.
(b) Find the equation of motion of the object if it is released from 1 foot below the equilibrium position from rest. When is the first time the object passes through the equilibrium position? In which direction is it heading?
(c) Find the equation of motion of the object if it is released from 6 inches above the equilibrium position with a downward velocity of 2 feet per second. Find when the object passes through the equilibrium position heading downwards for the third time.

James Kiss
James Kiss
Numerade Educator
01:50

Problem 7

Consider the pendulum below. Ignoring air resistance, the angular displacement of the pendulum from the vertical position, $\theta$, can be modeled as a sinusoid. ${ }^{18}$
The amplitude of the sinusoid is the same as the initial angular displacement, $\theta_{0},$ of the pendulum and the period of the motion is given by
$$
T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}
$$
where $l$ is the length of the pendulum and $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity.
(a) Find a sinusoid which gives the angular displacement $\theta$ as a function of time, $t$. Arrange things so $\theta(0)=\theta_{0}$
(b) In Exercise 40 section $5.3,$ you found the length of the pendulum needed in Jeff's antique Seth-Thomas clock to ensure the period of the pendulum is $\frac{1}{2}$ of a second. Assuming the initial displacement of the pendulum is $15^{\circ}$, find a sinusoid which models the displacement of the pendulum $\theta$ as a function of time, $t,$ in seconds.

Manish Jain
Manish Jain
Numerade Educator
05:56

Problem 8

The table below lists the average temperature of Lake Erie as measured in Cleveland, Ohio on the first of the month for each month during the years $1971-2000 .{ }^{19}$ For example, $t=3$ represents the average of the temperatures recorded for Lake Erie on every March 1 for the years 1971 through 2000 .
$$
\begin{array}{|l|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|}
\hline \text { Month } & & & & & & & & & & & & \\
\text { Number, } t & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & 9 & 10 & 11 & 12 \\
\hline \begin{array}{l}
\text { Temperature } \\
\left({ }^{\circ} \mathrm{F}\right), T
\end{array} & 36 & 33 & 34 & 38 & 47 & 57 & 67 & 74 & 73 & 67 & 56 & 46 \\
\hline
\end{array}
$$
(a) Using the techniques discussed in Example $11.1 .2,$ fit a sinusoid to these data.
(b) Using a graphing utility, graph your model along with the data set to judge the reasonableness of the fit.
(c) Use the model you found in part 8 a to predict the average temperature recorded for Lake Erie on April $15^{\text {th }}$ and September $15^{\text {th }}$ during the years $1971-2000 .^{20}$
(d) Compare your results to those obtained using a graphing utility.

Harshita Goel
Harshita Goel
Numerade Educator
03:52

Problem 9

The fraction of the moon illuminated at midnight Eastern Standard Time on the $t^{\text {th }}$ day of June, 2009 is given in the table below. ${ }^{21}$
$$
\begin{array}{|l|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|}
\hline \text { Day of } & & & & & & & & & & \\
\text { June, } t & 3 & 6 & 9 & 12 & 15 & 18 & 21 & 24 & 27 & 30 \\
\hline \begin{array}{l}
\text { Fraction } \\
\text { Illuminated, } F
\end{array} & 0.81 & 0.98 & 0.98 & 0.83 & 0.57 & 0.27 & 0.04 & 0.03 & 0.26 & 0.58 \\
\hline
\end{array}
$$
(a) Using the techniques discussed in Example $11.1 .2,$ fit a sinusoid to these data. ${ }^{22}$
(b) Using a graphing utility, graph your model along with the data set to judge the reasonableness of the fit.
(c) Use the model you found in part 9a to predict the fraction of the moon illuminated on June 1,2009.23
(d) Compare your results to those obtained using a graphing utility.

Nicole C
Nicole C
Numerade Educator
00:23

Problem 10

With the help of your classmates, research the phenomena mentioned in Example 11.1 .4 namely resonance and beats.

Kimberly Waterbury
Kimberly Waterbury
Numerade Educator
06:16

Problem 11

With the help of your classmates, research Amplitude Modulation and Frequency Modulation.

Linda Winkler
Linda Winkler
Numerade Educator
02:32

Problem 12

What other things in the world might be roughly sinusoidal? Look to see what models you can find for them and share your results with your class.

Anjali Kurse
Anjali Kurse
Numerade Educator