Graphing Trigonometric Functions

The sine function

Imagine a particle on the unit circle, starting at (1,0) and rotating
counterclockwise around the origin. Every position of the particle
corresponds with an angle, θ, where y = sin θ. As the particle moves
through the four quadrants, we get four pieces of the sin graph:

sin θ
y

90°
135° 45°
II I I II
x
180° 0°
0 90° 180° 270° 360° θ
II I IV
III IV
225° 315°
θ sin θ
270
° 0 0
π/2 1
π 0
3π/2 −1
2π 0
Graph of the Sine Function

To sketch the graph of y = sin x first locate the key points.

These are the maximum points, the minimum points, and the intercepts.

 3
x 0  2
2 2
sin x 0 1 0 -1 0

Then, connect the points on the graph with a smooth curve that
extends in both directions beyond the five points. A single cycle
is called a period.

y y = sin x
3  1  3 5
 
2  2 2  2 2 2 x

1

3
• Period: the number of degrees or radians
we must graph before it begins again.

4
 Sine is 2π Periodic

sin θ

−3π −2π −π 0 π 2π 3π θ

One period
2π
sin θ: Domain: all real numbers, (−∞, ∞)
Range: −1 to 1, inclusive [−1, 1]

sin θ is an odd function; it is symmetric about the origin.

sin(−θ) = −sin(θ)
• Amplitude: the maximum or minimum
vertical distance between the graph and
the x-axis. Amplitude is always positive

6
 The cosine function
Imagine a particle on the unit circle, starting at (1,0) and rotating
counterclockwise around the origin. Every position of the particle
corresponds with an angle, θ, where x = cos θ. As the particle moves
through the four quadrants, we get four pieces of the cos graph:

90° cos θ

135° 45°
II I
θ cos θ
I IV
180° 0°
x θ 0 1
0 90° 180° 270° 360°
π/2 0
II I IV
II III
π −1
225° 315°
270° 3π/2 0
2π 1
Graph of the Cosine Function

To sketch the graph of y = cos x first locate the key points.

These are the maximum points, the minimum points, and the intercepts.

 3
x 0  2
2 2
cos x 1 0 -1 0 1

Then, connect the points on the graph with a smooth curve that
extends in both directions beyond the five points. A single cycle
is called a period.

y y = cos x
3  1  3 5
 
2  2 2  2 2 2 x

1

8
 Cosine is a 2π Periodic

cos θ

θ
−3π −2π −π 0 π 2π 3π

One period
2π
cos θ: Domain: all real numbers, (−∞, ∞)
Range: −1 to 1, inclusive [−1, 1]
cos θ is an even function; it is symmetric about the y-axis.
cos(−θ) = cos(θ)
Example: Sketch the graph of y = 2 sin (–3x).
Rewrite the function in the form y = a sin bx with b > 0
Use the identity sin (– x) = – sin x: y = 2 sin (–3x) = –2 sin 3x
2
period:  =
2
amplitude: |a| = |–2| = 2
b 3
Calculate the five key points.

x    2
0 6 3 2 3

y = –2 sin 3x 0 –2 0 2 0
y
( , 2)
2 2
    2 5
6 6 3 2 3 6  x
(0, 0) (  , 0)
3 ( 2 , 0)
2 3
( , -2)
6 10
Properties of Sine and Cosine Functions

The graphs of y = sin x and y = cos x have similar properties:

1. The domain is the set of real numbers.

2. The range is the set of y values such that 1  y . 1

3. The maximum value is 1 and the minimum value is –1.

4. The graph is a smooth curve.

5. Each function cycles through all the values of the range

over an x-interval of 2.
6. The cycle repeats itself indefinitely in both directions of
the x-axis.

11
 The Tangent Function
sin 
tan  
cos 
When cos θ = 0, tan θ is undefined.
This occurs every odd multiple of π/2: { … −π/2, π/2, 3π/2, 5π/2, … }

Table from θ = −π/2 to θ = π/2 .

Tanθ is π periodic.

θ sin θ cos θ tan θ θ tan θ

−π/2 −1 0 −∞ −π/2 −∞

2 2
−π/4  −1 −π/4 −1
2 2

0 0 1 0 0 0

2 2
π/4 1 π/4 1
2 2

π/2 1 0 ∞ π/2 ∞
 Graph of Tangent Function: Periodic
tan θ Vertical asymptotes
where cos θ = 0
sin 
tan  
cos 
θ tan θ

−π/2 −∞

−π/4 −1
−3π/2 −π/2 0 π/2 3π/2 θ
0 0

π/4 1

π/2 ∞

One period: π
tan θ: Domain: θ ≠ π/2 + πn; i.e., odd multiple of π/2 .
Range: all real numbers (−∞, ∞)
tan θ is an odd function; it is symmetric about the origin.
tan(−θ) = −tan(θ)
 The Cotangent Function
cos 
cot  
sin
When sin θ = 0, cot θ is undefined.

This occurs every π intervals, starting at 0: { … −π, 0, π, 2π, … }

Table from θ = 0 to θ = π.
cotθ is π periodic.

θ sin θ cos θ cot θ θ cot θ

0 0 1 ∞ 0 ∞
2 2
π/4 1 π/4 1
2 2

π/2 1 0 0 π/2 0

2 2
3π/4  −1 3π/4 −1
2 2

π 0 –1 −∞ π −∞
 Graph of Cotangent Function: Periodic
Vertical asymptotes
cot θ where sin θ = 0
cos
cot  
sin

θ tan θ

0 ∞

π/4 1

−3π/2 -π −π/2 π/2 π 3π/2

π/2 0

3π/4 −1

π −∞

cot θ: Domain: θ ≠ πn
Range: all real numbers (−∞, ∞)
cot θ is an odd function; it is symmetric about the origin.
tan(−θ) = −tan(θ)