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DOMAIN AND RANGE OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

QUICK DOMAIN/RANGE REVIEW The domain of a function is the specific set of values that the independent variable in a function can take on. The range is the resulting values that the dependant variable can have as x varies throughout the domain.

DOMAIN AND RANGE FOR SINE AND COSINE FUNCTIONS There are no restrictions on the domain of sine and cosine functions; therefore, their domain is such that x R . Notice, however, that the range for both y = sin(x) and y = cos(x) is between -1 and 1. Therefore, transformations of these functions in the form of shifts and stretches will affect the range but not the domain.

y = sin(x)

y = cos(x)

DOMAIN AND RANGE FOR THE TANGENT FUNCTION (2n + 1) Notice that y = tan(x) has vertical asymptotes at . Therefore, its domain is 2 (2n + 1) such that x . However, its range is such that y R , because the function 2 takes on all values of y. In this case, transformations will affect the domain but not the range.

_______________________________________________________________________ Example: Find the domain and range of y = cos( x) 3 . Solution: Domain: x R

Range: 4 y 2, y R Notice that the range is simply shifted down 3 units. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Example: Find the domain and range of y = 3 tan( x) . Solution: (2n + 1) Domain: x ,xR 2 Notice that the domain is the same as the domain for y = tan(x) because the graph was stretched verticallywhich does not change where the vertical asymptotes occur. Range: y R _______________________________________________________________________

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