Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Amplitude
Amplitude refers to the maximum distance a wave reaches from its central axis or equilibrium position. In the context of cosine functions, it is determined by the coefficient in front of the cosine term. For the function y = -¼ cos (½ x + π/2), the amplitude is |−¼|, which equals ¼, indicating the wave oscillates between ¼ and -¼.
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Period
The period of a trigonometric function is the length of one complete cycle of the wave. It can be calculated using the formula P = 2π / |b|, where b is the coefficient of x in the function. For the given function y = -¼ cos (½ x + π/2), the coefficient b is ½, resulting in a period of P = 2π / (½) = 4π.
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Phase Shift
Phase shift refers to the horizontal displacement of a wave from its standard position. It is determined by the term inside the cosine function. In the function y = -¼ cos (½ x + π/2), the phase shift can be calculated by setting the inside of the cosine to zero: ½ x + π/2 = 0, leading to a phase shift of x = -π, indicating the wave is shifted π units to the left.
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