how do i explain sinusoidal functions to a teenager?
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Recently my little sister began studying sinusoidal functions at school. I was trying to explain to her that there is a relationship between these functions and circles, But then she asked " why are they making me use these on triangles if they have to do with circles?" and i was kind of lost.
Does anybody have a good take on giving a good elementary explanation on how these relate to circles and why we use them on triangles in school??
Thank you very much for your help!!
functions trigonometry
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
Recently my little sister began studying sinusoidal functions at school. I was trying to explain to her that there is a relationship between these functions and circles, But then she asked " why are they making me use these on triangles if they have to do with circles?" and i was kind of lost.
Does anybody have a good take on giving a good elementary explanation on how these relate to circles and why we use them on triangles in school??
Thank you very much for your help!!
functions trigonometry
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
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Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
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– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
1
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i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
1
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Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
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– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
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Perfectly reasonable question.
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– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Recently my little sister began studying sinusoidal functions at school. I was trying to explain to her that there is a relationship between these functions and circles, But then she asked " why are they making me use these on triangles if they have to do with circles?" and i was kind of lost.
Does anybody have a good take on giving a good elementary explanation on how these relate to circles and why we use them on triangles in school??
Thank you very much for your help!!
functions trigonometry
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
$endgroup$
Recently my little sister began studying sinusoidal functions at school. I was trying to explain to her that there is a relationship between these functions and circles, But then she asked " why are they making me use these on triangles if they have to do with circles?" and i was kind of lost.
Does anybody have a good take on giving a good elementary explanation on how these relate to circles and why we use them on triangles in school??
Thank you very much for your help!!
functions trigonometry
functions trigonometry
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
asked Dec 24 '18 at 5:06
Victor OrtaVictor Orta
478
478
$begingroup$
Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
$endgroup$
– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
1
$begingroup$
Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
$endgroup$
– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
$begingroup$
Perfectly reasonable question.
$endgroup$
– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
$endgroup$
– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
1
$begingroup$
Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
$endgroup$
– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
$begingroup$
Perfectly reasonable question.
$endgroup$
– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38
$begingroup$
Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
$endgroup$
– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
$begingroup$
Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
$endgroup$
– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
1
1
$begingroup$
i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
$begingroup$
i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
1
1
$begingroup$
Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
$endgroup$
– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
$begingroup$
Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
$endgroup$
– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
$begingroup$
Perfectly reasonable question.
$endgroup$
– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38
$begingroup$
Perfectly reasonable question.
$endgroup$
– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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oldest
votes
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This is how the triangle relates to the circle in the definition of sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
When you choose a point on a unit circle drawn on a xy-plane, the x projection is a cosine and the y projection is a sine. Projections and the radius-vector form right triangle with hypotenuse being equal to 1 and legs equal to sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
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add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
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2 Answers
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$begingroup$
This is how the triangle relates to the circle in the definition of sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is how the triangle relates to the circle in the definition of sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
This is how the triangle relates to the circle in the definition of sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
$endgroup$
This is how the triangle relates to the circle in the definition of sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:31
zoidbergzoidberg
1,080113
1,080113
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
When you choose a point on a unit circle drawn on a xy-plane, the x projection is a cosine and the y projection is a sine. Projections and the radius-vector form right triangle with hypotenuse being equal to 1 and legs equal to sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
When you choose a point on a unit circle drawn on a xy-plane, the x projection is a cosine and the y projection is a sine. Projections and the radius-vector form right triangle with hypotenuse being equal to 1 and legs equal to sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
When you choose a point on a unit circle drawn on a xy-plane, the x projection is a cosine and the y projection is a sine. Projections and the radius-vector form right triangle with hypotenuse being equal to 1 and legs equal to sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
$endgroup$
When you choose a point on a unit circle drawn on a xy-plane, the x projection is a cosine and the y projection is a sine. Projections and the radius-vector form right triangle with hypotenuse being equal to 1 and legs equal to sine and cosine.
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
answered Dec 24 '18 at 5:30
MakinaMakina
1,1951316
1,1951316
add a comment |
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
Wouldn't it be better for her teacher to explain it?
$endgroup$
– John Douma
Dec 24 '18 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
i mean the point of asking the question here is so i can help her at home.
$endgroup$
– Victor Orta
Dec 24 '18 at 5:23
1
$begingroup$
Often sine, cosine, and tangent are introduced using "soh cah toa", and without mentioning circles. Personally I'd make sure she understands that first before bringing circles into the picture.
$endgroup$
– littleO
Dec 24 '18 at 5:36
$begingroup$
Perfectly reasonable question.
$endgroup$
– copper.hat
Dec 24 '18 at 6:38