How do Find Amplitude, Period, and Phase Shift?
For y = a·sin(b(x − c)) + d, the amplitude is |a|, the period is 2π/b, and the phase shift is c, a horizontal shift right when c is positive. Below: how to read each from an equation or a graph, and the factoring step students most often skip.
You can determine the amplitude, period, and phase shift of trigonometric functions easily! In this post, you will learn about this topic.
How do Find Amplitude, Period, and Phase Shift: what to notice and how to work it
What to notice first
Common student mistake
Key formulas and cues
A reliable path
- Choose the modelUse a right triangle, the unit circle, or a transformed graph.
- Track unitsConvert degrees and radians when needed.
- Use identitiesReplace complicated trig expressions with equivalent simpler ones.
Worked examples
Read a sine graph rule
- Amplitude is |3|.
- Period is 2pi/2 = pi.
- Midline is y = -1.
Place five key points
- Start at (0, 0).
- Use quarter-period steps: pi/2, pi, 3pi/2, 2pi.
- The y-values are 0, 1, 0, -1, 0.
Try one before moving on
How do Find Amplitude, Period, and Phase Shift: pop-up practice
Related Topics
Step-by-step guide to finding amplitude, period, and phase shift
Amplitude:
Amplitude refers to the maximum change of a variable from its mean value. The amplitude formula helps determine the (sin) and (cos) functions. Amplitude is represented by (A).
The sine function (or) the cosine function can be expressed as follows:
(color{blue}{:x=A:sin:left(ωt:+:ϕright):or:x=A:cos:left(ωt:+:ϕright)})
Here,
- (x=) displacement of wave (meter)
- (A =) amplitude
- (ω =) angular frequency (rad/s)
- (t =) time period
- (ϕ =) phase angle
The amplitude formula is also stated as the average of the (max) and (min) values of the (sin) or (cos) function. We always take the absolute value of the amplitude.
(color{blue}{Amplitude=frac{max:+:min}{2}})
Phase shift:
Phase shift is the shift when the graph of the sine and cosine function moves from its usual position to the left or right, or we can say how much the function moves horizontally from its usual position in the phase shift.
The phase shift formula for a sinusoidal curve is shown below, where the horizontal and vertical shifts are expressed. It can be positive or negative depending on the direction of change from the origin. The phase shift formula can be expressed as:
(y:=:A:sinleft(B:left(x:+:Cright)right)+D)
also, (left(Fleft(xright)=A:sin:left(Bx:−:Cright)+Dright)).
where
- ((frac{C}{B})) shows the phase shift.
- (A) is the amplitude.
Period:
A function (y = f(x)) is called a periodic function if there exists a positive real number (P) such that (f(x + P) = f(x)), for all (x) belongs to the real numbers.
The periods of some important periodic functions are as follows:
- The period of (sinx) and (cosx) is (2π).
- The period of (tanx) and (cotx) is (π).
- The period of (secx) and (cosecx) is (2π).
Amplitude, Period, and Phase Shift, Example 1:
Find amplitude, period, and phase shift. (3:sinleft(4left(x:−:0.5right)right)+5)
Solution:
- amplitude (A=3)
- period (frac{2pi:}{B}=frac{2pi }{4}=frac{pi }{2})
- phase shift (=−0.5) (or (0.5) to the right)
Exercises for Amplitude, Period, and Phase Shift
Find the amplitude, period, and phase shift of each function.
- (color{blue}{y=115:sin:left(20:theta right)+3})
- (color{blue}{y=3:cos:left(6x+pi right)})
- (color{blue}{y=-4:sin:left(frac{2}{3}x-frac{pi }{3}right)})

- (color{blue}{amplitude =115, period =frac{pi}{10}})
- (color{blue}{amplitude =3, period =frac{pi}{3}, phase:shift=-frac{pi }{6}})
- (color{blue}{amplitude =4, period =3pi, phase:shift=-frac{pi }{2}})
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