It has to do with math; that's all I know. I asked my teacher, but she said it was in the book; however, it's not. I looked- for like FOUR hours!!! Sorry, I'm a bit mad. Thanks to everyone who can help!
2007-01-17 16:06:23 · 6 answers · asked by Elli 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
A periodic curve is one that has a period, which basically means it repeats itself.
A sine curve has a period of 2pi, meaning it repeats itself after you have moved 2pi along the x-axis. You will be on the exact same point of the curve, just further along.
The cosine curve has the same period.
The tangent curve is also periodic, but has a period of pi.
2007-01-17 16:23:21 · answer #1 · answered by elkabong2500 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This means the curve consists of the exact same shape repeated over and over.
Another answer mentioned a sine wave; that's one example of a periodic curve, but there are many others. It could be a sawtooth pattern, or just about anything.
In symbolic terms: the graph of the equation y = f(x) gives you a periodic curve if there's some number c such that f(x+c) = f(x) for all x.
In the sine wave example, the graph is y = sin(x), and the magic number c is 2 pi (where pi is approximately 3.14). Actually you could also use any multiple of 2 pi, such as 4 pi, 6 pi, etc., but 2 pi is the smallest value that works.
Hope this helps!
2007-01-17 16:30:54 · answer #2 · answered by Jim R 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A periodic curve is any curve that repeats itself in intervals (called periods). The most prevalent example is a sine wave, y = A sin(Bx).
2007-01-17 16:25:12 · answer #3 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your web search and put in periodic curve and see what comes up!! It will probably give you several sites you can check out!
2007-01-17 16:24:18 · answer #4 · answered by donna in wetumpka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would be your trig functions sine and cosine, and algebraic combinations of these.
They're called periodic because they repeat at regular intervals, or periods.
2007-01-17 16:21:29 · answer #5 · answered by Joni DaNerd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am guessing that this probably refers to a sine wave.
2007-01-17 16:16:14 · answer #6 · answered by formerly_bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋