Chapter 5 is not a piece of cheeeseee cake:(

Encounter some problems and difficulties when solving some problems in chapter 5. It started off well, chapter 5.1 only requires us to know the shape of the graph of basic cosine, sine and tangent function, and determine the amplitude by using the formula (max point-min point)/2, period by using the formula 2π/k, vertical translation by using formula (max point + min point)/2 and phase shift.


However, things get a tad more complicated when it reaches 5.2, where the reciprocal of the trigonometric function comes in, that we have to determine the shapes of secant, cosecant and cotagent graphs.  Besides, there are also questions asking on for exp:  Explain the difference between cot 1 and tan^-1(1). The answer should be cot 1 is the reciprocal of tangent, where as tan^-1(1) is the inverse of tangent. Nonetheless, 5.1 and 5.2 are still manageable.


When it comes to 5.3, I start to get big headache!

How I look like..

5.3 deals with the sinusoidal function of the form: a sin [k(x-d)]+c and a cos [k(x-d)]+c. We are suppose to determine the amplitude, period, k value, phase shift and vertical translation from the equation, and make the drawing of the transformed function. DRAW is a big NONO for me! Especially when the transformation of the graph involves phase shift. Apart from that, we are also to determine an equation by analyzing a transformed graph given, again, I find it hard to determine the phase shift. ARGH! 


Fortunately chapter 5.4 and 5.5 are much better. We are only to solve for x from the function given in 5.4, and in 5.5, it is the application of trigonometric function to determine instantaneous rate of change. However, both do become kind of difficult when the question is asked in the form of application in real life.