18.03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Radian, Prussian P 8, Bundesautobahn 45
Document Summary
A "sinusoidal function" f(t) is one whose graph is a (co)sine wave. I drew a large general sinusoidal function, f(t) . I drew the graph of cos(theta) ; this is our model example of a sinusoid. A sinusoidal function is entirely determined by just three measurements, or parameters, which determine it in terms of cos(theta) . A = amplitude = height of its maxima = depth of its minima. P = period = elapsed time till it repeats (or, in spatial terms, lambda = wavelength = the distance between repeats) t_0 = time lag = time of first maximum f(t) can be written in terms of cosine. To work out how, express theta as a function of t . I started drew a t-axis horizontally and a theta-axis vertically. When t = t_0 , theta = 0 . When t = t_0 + p , theta = 2pi . I marked these data points on all three graphs.
