Trigonometry XI


   
 
Periodic Functions
The trigonometric functions belong to a large class of functions called periodic functions in which there is a regular repetition of the values of the function over a certain interval.
 
Definition
 
A function f(x) is called periodic if there exists a non zero number p such that f(x+p) is defined and f (x+p) = f(x) for all values of x in the domain of f(x). The number p is called the period of f(x).
 
The function sinx has periods 2p, 4p,6p,....since sin (x+2p), sin (x+4p), sin (x+6p),....all equal sin x. However 2p is the least period or the period of sin x.
 
The function cosx has periods 2p, 4p, 6p, ....... since cos(x+2p), cos(x+4p), cos(x+6p), ....... all equal cosx. Here also 2p is the period, i.e., the least period or the period of cos x.
 
The period of tan x is p.
 
 
     
   
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