Precalculus: Trigonometric Transformations

Objectives

• Students will determine the type of function modeled by the height of a capsule on the London Eye observation wheel.
• Students will translate observational information to use as the parameters of a cosine function.
• Students will determine the amplitude, frequency, period, and midline of a cosine function when given information in verbal or graphical form.

Vocabulary

• amplitude
• frequency
• midline
• parameters of a function
• period
• periodic function
• sinusoidal function

About the Lesson

This lesson involves creating an appropriate equation to model the height of a capsule on the wheel.
As a result, students will:

• Use a slider to animate the function modeled by the height of a capsule on the London Eye observation wheel.
• Discover the concepts of amplitude, frequency, period, and midline.
• Determine the amplitude, frequency, period, and midline of the "observation wheel" function.