Mitchell Merrell MATH 1080 11/16/13

Trigonometric Applications Trigonometry has always served as a way of explaining and creating a variety of problems, including those involving triangles, and even harmonic motion. Such cases include problems such as wavelengths used for radio stations, to even the use electromagnetic radiation in chemotherapy. Shorter wavelengths are what give the chemotherapy its radioactive nature, and as for radio stations, understanding the frequency gives us all of the different stations we hear. To understand the relationship different applications of trigonometry have with one another, we can use a variety of trigonometric problems to solve. We have a certain spring set at a position that is 7 cm (x0) below the equilibrium line. The starting velocity (v0) of the spring is 16 cm/s, and the constant of mass and stiffness () is equal to 6. Since the equation for the position of the weight at time t is ( ) ( ) ( )

We can then input the information for the spring. As a result, we obtain ( ) ( ) ( )

Now that we have our equation ready, it is best to plot the points on a graph to see how the different components of the equation are reacting. From our equation, both the ( ) functions can be expressed as ( ) ( ) ( )

Where the amplitudes of x1 and x2 are

and

, respectively. Since we have no other

constants grouped in with 6t, there is no phase shift for these two graphs. Although the two amplitudes of each equation are different, both of their periods, P = frequencies , are the same, as well as their

. Period can be found by subtracting the x value of the second maximum from

the x value of the first. Now that we see each graph individually, and know that the only thing that our final equation will have that will change is the amplitude, or , we can graph it to show

Now that we have a single wave with which to work with, we can rewrite an equation of at the graph, we see that the period is still P = 047 and the frequency is still

. Looking . The

properties that have changed are now the amplitude, as well as the fact that there is now a phase shift, as a result of the difference between the two functions graphed earlier. Since we are finding a new equation in terms of , we need only to find the first maximum point to the right of the wave, which

is the point (0.061 , 7.491). Since this is as far up or down that the graph is able to go, the amplitude is now and the phase shift is ( ) Where and Since the equation were creating is based off of ( ( ))

is our phase shift, we can then plug in our amplitude, phase shift, and period

values that weve found so far to have as our final equation: ( ) ( ( ))

Since trigonometric functions have a variety of uses, we can even apply these wave properties to a different application, such as a triangle. For instance, there is a certain right triangle with measurements C1 and C2, a hypotenuse A, and an angle follows between A and C2 . The triangle is shown as

In order to find the specific measurements, we can start by using trigonometric functions to find each piece first, we find and We find them to be , , and

. Now, if we need to find a certain measurement of one of the sides of the triangle, simply rearranging the functions can give us the following:

or However, If we need to find the angle , and have the other measurements already given, we can find by using the functions , , or . For example, if we only have the two legs C1 and C2, tan-1 .

we can find the angle by using the equation Now that were able to find

and , we can use these functions to find actual values. and , we can find the rest:

For instance, if we have the triangle above, where

Since we found

we can now solve for A:

Another way to find A would be to use the Pythagorean Theorem, which is for a different triangle where and , we can solve for A, then :

.So,

or From this application of the triangle, we found that the sides of the triangle were identical to the amplitudes of the sinusoidal waves in the first part, showing that the relationship of trigonometric identitities stays the same even when used in a completely different problem.

The last application we can use is finding out how trigonometric identities are related to one another when used in the same instance. We are given a certain set of trigonometric functions that are appearing to be equal to another: ( ) ( ) ( )

To prove this relationship, we must perform the following steps: ( ) ( ( ( ) follows the relationship described in a sum-difference identity, ) ( ))

Since

we can rewrite it to show: Factor out the A:

From here, we can then utilize the product-to-sum identity: ( ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ))

If we multiply the coefficients out, we get ( ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ))

Since the 2nd and 4th terms cancel each other out, we are then left with ( ( ) ( ))

Adding the two identical terms together, we finally achieve ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) is

By proving this identity, we can now see that indeed true.

Finally, we can bring together all of these parts together. Now, we can utilize our answers previously in order to further show the relationship between two different applications. SO from what we have produced from our previous equations, we can see some relationships. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ( ))

Now, plugging in the numbers into these two equations, we receive ( ) And finally, if we factor in the 6 in ( ( ) ) and ( ( ) ( ( ) )) ( ), we have both equations that show

Which models the motion of the spring from the first problem.

All of these relationships between three separate problems involving trig functions shows us how many applications can be solved by applying them. The model of a spring moving up and down can be modelled by using a sine graph. Trig graphs, if time ( ) is removed, will show a circle which will then produce triangles from within that circle. After completing this, noticing that a wide variety of trig applications that have the same constants can all be related to one another through only three functions sine, cosine, and tangent has left me with a newer appreciation for a math, and the world of science.