Final answer:
The wave function y(x, t) = A sin(kx - wt + p) can be used to find the characteristics of a sinusoidal wave, such as the amplitude, wavelength, period, and frequency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wave function given by y(x, t) = A sin(kx - wt + p) is used to find the characteristics of a sinusoidal wave. The amplitude of the wave is determined by the A constant in the wave function. The wavelength of the wave is related to the wave number k and can be found using the equation wavelength = 2π/k. The period of the wave is related to the angular frequency w and can be found using the equation period = 2π/w. The frequency of the wave is the reciprocal of the period.