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This wording is so weird. Why are there two maximums and minimums. What does “first maximum and minimum” mean? Which one should I use to solve for amplitude? Please help.

This wording is so weird. Why are there two maximums and minimums. What does “first-example-1

1 Answer

7 votes
I’m kinda rusty with this so I don’t have this answer, but I do have an explanation that will (hopefully) help you figure it out.

This is a typical wording for a question like this. There are actually more than two maximums and minimums. Cosine (and sine) graphs have infinite maximums and minimums! They go on forever, positive and negative. The “first maximum and minimum” is referring to the first maximum and minimum with a positive x value.

The graph I have attached (not the answer, simply an example) has an example of the first maximum and minimum of a cosine graph. It also has the first maximum and minimum that the answer should have graphed as x-value lines. The x-value lines should cross the first maximum and minimum of the graph.

Tip: Desmos (app/website) or a physical graphing calculator would be really helpful in visualizing, double-checking, and finding answers.

I really hope this helped!

This wording is so weird. Why are there two maximums and minimums. What does “first-example-1
User Adam Kotwasinski
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