Sinusoidal Modeling
Modeling Periodic Cycles
Find the Midline (D)
A Ferris wheel's height goes up and down over time. Drag the orange dashed line to set the center axis (midline) exactly halfway between the top and bottom of the wheel.
Set the Amplitude (A)
The amplitude is the radius of the Ferris wheel. Use the slider to stretch the wave so it perfectly touches the maximum and minimum height points.
Find the Period (Speed)
The period is the time it takes for one full revolution. Tap the buttons below to change the speed until the wave peaks match the target points.
Set the Phase Shift (C)
Where was the red car when we started the timer (t=0)? Drag the red car around the wheel to shift the wave left or right to match the target.
Starting Position
Build the Final Model
Tide Modeling
A tide reaches a high of 10 ft at 2:00 AM (t=2) and a low of 2 ft at 8:00 AM (t=8). The cycle repeats every 12 hours.
Drag the correct values to build the cosine model:
Master Modeler!
You've successfully mastered amplitude, period, midline, and phase shift to model real-world cycles.