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Ch. 1 - Angles and the Trigonometric Functions
Blitzer - Trigonometry 3rd Edition
Blitzer3rd EditionTrigonometryISBN: 9780137316601Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 1, Problem 65

In Exercises 65–66, an object moves in simple harmonic motion described by the given equation, where t is measured in seconds and d in centimeters. In each exercise, find: a. the maximum displacement b. the frequency c. the time required for one cycle.d = 20 cos π/4 t

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Step 1: Identify the amplitude of the motion. The equation given is \(d = 20 \cos(\frac{\pi}{4} t)\). The amplitude is the coefficient of the cosine function, which is 20. This represents the maximum displacement.
Step 2: Determine the angular frequency. The angular frequency \(\omega\) is the coefficient of \(t\) inside the cosine function, which is \(\frac{\pi}{4}\).
Step 3: Calculate the frequency. The frequency \(f\) is related to the angular frequency by the formula \(f = \frac{\omega}{2\pi}\). Substitute \(\omega = \frac{\pi}{4}\) into this formula to find the frequency.
Step 4: Find the period of the motion. The period \(T\) is the reciprocal of the frequency, \(T = \frac{1}{f}\). Use the frequency found in Step 3 to calculate the period, which is the time required for one cycle.
Step 5: Summarize the findings. The maximum displacement is 20 cm, the frequency is calculated from the angular frequency, and the period is the reciprocal of the frequency.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

Simple Harmonic Motion is a type of periodic motion where an object moves back and forth around an equilibrium position. The motion can be described by a sinusoidal function, such as sine or cosine, which indicates the object's displacement over time. In this context, the equation d = 20 cos(π/4 t) represents the displacement of the object as a function of time, with the amplitude and frequency determining the characteristics of the motion.
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Maximum Displacement (Amplitude)

The maximum displacement, also known as amplitude, is the greatest distance the object moves from its equilibrium position during its motion. In the equation d = 20 cos(π/4 t), the amplitude is represented by the coefficient of the cosine function, which is 20 cm. This value indicates that the object will oscillate between +20 cm and -20 cm from the center position.
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Frequency and Period

Frequency refers to the number of cycles an object completes in one second, while the period is the time taken to complete one full cycle. The frequency can be derived from the angular frequency in the equation, which is related to the coefficient of t in the cosine function. In this case, the angular frequency is π/4, leading to a frequency of 2/π Hz and a period of 4/π seconds, indicating how quickly the object oscillates.
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