Question

Find the period of the function. y = 5 cos one divided by twox

Answer 1

$\bf \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \textit{function transformations} \\ \quad \\ % function transformations for trigonometric functions \begin{array}{rllll} % left side templates f(x)=&{{ A}}sin({{ B}}x+{{ C}})+{{ D}} \\\\ f(x)=&{{ A}}cos({{ B}}x+{{ C}})+{{ D}}\\\\ f(x)=&{{ A}}tan({{ B}}x+{{ C}})+{{ D}} \end{array} \\\\ -------------------$

$\bf \bullet \textit{ stretches or shrinks}\\ \left. \qquad \right. \textit{horizontally by amplitude } |{{ A}}|\\\\ \bullet \textit{ flips it upside-down if }{{ A}}\textit{ is negative}\\ \left. \qquad \right. \textit{reflection over the x-axis} \\\\ \bullet \textit{ flips it sideways if }{{ B}}\textit{ is negative}\\ \left. \qquad \right. \textit{reflection over the y-axis} \\\\ \bullet \textit{ horizontal shift by }\frac{{{ C}}}{{{ B}}}$

$\bf \left. \qquad \right. if\ \frac{{{ C}}}{{{ B}}}\textit{ is negative, to the right}\\\\ \left. \qquad \right. if\ \frac{{{ C}}}{{{ B}}}\textit{ is positive, to the left}\\\\ \bullet \textit{vertical shift by }{{ D}}$

$\bf \left. \qquad \right. if\ {{ D}}\textit{ is negative, downwards}\\\\ \left. \qquad \right. if\ {{ D}}\textit{ is positive, upwards}\\\\ \bullet \textit{function period or frequency}\\ \left. \qquad \right. \frac{2\pi }{{{ B}}}\ for\ cos(\theta),\ sin(\theta),\ sec(\theta),\ csc(\theta)\\\\ \left. \qquad \right. \frac{\pi }{{{ B}}}\ for\ tan(\theta),\ cot(\theta)$

so.. with that template in mind, let's see

$\bf \begin{array}{llll} y=5cos&\left(\frac{1}{2}x\right)\\ &\ \uparrow \\ &\ B \end{array}\qquad period\qquad \cfrac{2\pi }{B}\implies \cfrac{2\pi }{\frac{1}{2}}\implies \cfrac{2\pi }{1}\cdot \cfrac{2}{1}\implies 4\pi$