What is the graph of one cycle of a sine curve with the given characteristics?

Using the form y = a sin bθ, what is an equation for the sine curve?

amplitude = 4, period = 1/4pi, and a < 0.

1 answer

The graph of one cycle of the sine curve with amplitude 4 and period 1/4pi is shown below:

[asy]
import TrigMacros;

size(200);
xmin=-pi/2;
xmax=pi/2;
ymin=-4.5;
ymax=4.5;
xaxis(-pi/2, pi/2, Ticks("$$\frac{\pi}{8}", 1.57), Arrows);
yaxis(-4.5, 4.5, Ticks("$$4", 1), Arrows);
real f(real x) {return -4*sin(8*x);}
draw(reflect((0,0),(1,1))*graph(f,-pi/16,pi/16),red);
draw(reflect((0,0),(1,1))*graph(f,pi/16,3pi/16));
draw(reflect((0,0),(1,1))*graph(f,3pi/16,5pi/16));
draw(reflect((0,0),(1,1))*graph(f,5pi/16,7pi/16));
draw(reflect((0,0),(1,1))*graph(f,7pi/16,9pi/16));
[/asy]

One cycle of the sine curve goes from its maximum value of -4 to its minimum value of 4, then back to its maximum value, so it oscillates between these two y-values. It completes one oscillation in 1/4pi units of θ, so it completes 8 cycles in 2pi units of θ (the standard period for the sine function).

Using the given information, we can write the equation of this sine curve as:

y = -4 sin (8θ)