Precalculus : Pre-Calculus

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Precalculus

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Find The Value Of The Sine Or Cosine Functions Of An Angle Given A Point On Its Terminal Side

Find the sine and cosine of the following angle.

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Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)\(\displaystyle \cos = \frac{\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{6\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)\(\displaystyle \cos = \frac{5\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{6\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)\(\displaystyle \cos = \frac{5\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)

Explanation:

We see that the point on the terminal side is (5,6).  So we know that with this point a right triangle is formed with a base that is 5 units long, and a leg that is 6 units high.  We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the hypotenuse that is formed by this triangle and this will tell us the distance of the point from the origin. 

\(\displaystyle a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 5^{2}+6^{2}=c^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 25+36=c\)

\(\displaystyle 59=c^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{59}=c\)

Let’s solve for sine first.  When working with right triangles recall that \(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{opposite}{hypotenuse}\)and we are considering the angle formed by the x-axis and the hypotenuse.  So the opposite side is the leg that is 6 units high.

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{opposite}{hypotenuse}\)

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{6}{\sqrt{59}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sin = \frac{6\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)

We can solve for cosine if we recall that \(\displaystyle \cos =\frac{adjacent}{hypotenuse}\).  Our adjacent side would be the base that is 5 units long.

 

\(\displaystyle \cos =\frac{adjacent}{hypotenuse}\)

\(\displaystyle \cos = \frac{5}{\sqrt{59}}\)

\(\displaystyle \cos = \frac{5\sqrt{59}}{{59}}\)

Example Question #1 : Solve Angular Velocity Problems

If a ball is travelling in a circle of diameter \(\displaystyle 10 \text{m}\) with velocity \(\displaystyle 20\text{m}/ \text{s}\), find the angular velocity of the ball.  

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5 \text{ m}/\text{s}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac {1}{4} \text{ Hz}\)

\(\displaystyle 100 \text{ Hz}\)

\(\displaystyle 4 \text{ Hz}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 4 \text{ Hz}\)

Explanation:

Using the equation,

 \(\displaystyle \omega=\frac{v}{r}\) where 

\(\displaystyle \omega\)=angular velocity, \(\displaystyle v\)=linear velocity, and \(\displaystyle r\)=radius of the circle.

In this case the radius is 5 (half of the diameter) and linear velocity is 20 m/s.  

\(\displaystyle \omega=\frac{20}{5}=4\).

Example Question #1 : Angular And Linear Velocity

Suppose a car tire rotates \(\displaystyle 8\) times a second. The tire has a diameter of \(\displaystyle 8\) inches. Find the angular velocity in radians per second.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 8\pi\)

\(\displaystyle \pi\)

\(\displaystyle 64\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 32\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\)

Explanation:

Write the formula for angular velocity.

\(\displaystyle \omega =2\pi f_\)

The frequency of the tire is 8 revolutions per second. The radius is not used.  

Substitute the frequency and solve.

\(\displaystyle \omega =2\pi f= 2\pi(8)=16\pi\)

Example Question #1 : Solve Angular Velocity Problems

What is the angular velocity of a spinning top if it travels \(\displaystyle \pi\) radians in a third of a second?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 3\)

\(\displaystyle 9\pi\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 3\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3\pi\)

Explanation:

Write the formula for average velocity.

\(\displaystyle \omega=\frac{\theta}{t}\)

The units of omega is radians per second.

Substitute the givens and solve for omega.

\(\displaystyle \omega=\frac{\theta}{t}=\frac{\pi}{\frac{1}{3}}=\pi*3=3\pi\)

Example Question #1 : Angular And Linear Velocity

A \(\displaystyle 20\ in\) diamter tire on a car makes \(\displaystyle 9.3\) revolutions per second. Find the angular speed of the car.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 18.6 \pi radians/ second\)

\(\displaystyle 300.2 \pi radians/ second\)

\(\displaystyle 599 \pi radians/ second\)

\(\displaystyle 22 \pi radians/ second\)

\(\displaystyle 475.6 \pi radians/ second\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 18.6 \pi radians/ second\)

Explanation:

Recall that  \(\displaystyle angular\ velocity=\theta/t\).

Since the tire revolves 9.3 times/second it would seem that the tire would rotate

\(\displaystyle 9.3 (2\pi) radians/second\) or \(\displaystyle 18.6 \pi radians/ second\).

We use \(\displaystyle 2\pi\) to indicate that the tire is rolling 360 degrees or \(\displaystyle 2\pi\) radians each revolution (as it should).

Thus, 

\(\displaystyle 18.6 \pi radians/ second\) is your final answer.

Note that radians is JUST a different way of writing degrees. The higher numbers in the answers above are all measures around the actual linear speed of the tire, not the angular speed.

Example Question #1 : Solve Angular Velocity Problems

A car wheel of radius 20 inches rotates at 8 revolutions per second on the highway. What is the angular speed of the tire?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 20\pi\frac{rad}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 12\pi\frac{rad}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 18\pi\frac{rad}{s}\)

None of these.

\(\displaystyle 16\pi \frac{rad}{s}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 16\pi \frac{rad}{s}\)

Explanation:

Angular speed is the same as linear speed, but instead of distance per unit time we use degrees or radians. Any object traveling has both linear and angular speed (though objects only have angular speed when they are rotating).

\(\displaystyle Angular\hspace{1mm}speed= \frac{\Theta }{t}\)

Since our tire completes 8 revolutions per second we multiply by \(\displaystyle 2\pi\) since a full rotation (360°) equals \(\displaystyle 2\pi\).

\(\displaystyle Angular\hspace{1mm}speed= \frac{16\pi }{1 s}=16\pi\frac{rad}{s}\)

Example Question #2 : Angular And Linear Velocity

A plane is traveling Northeast. If the eastern component of it's velocity is \(\displaystyle 300 \text{ mph}\), how fast is the plane traveling?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 424 \text{ mph}\)

\(\displaystyle 526 \text{ mph}\)

\(\displaystyle 378 \text{ mph}\)

\(\displaystyle 300 \text{ mph}\)

None of the other answers

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 424 \text{ mph}\)

Explanation:

Since the plane is traveling NE, we know that it is traveling at an angle of 45 degrees north of east. Therefore, we can represent this in a diagram:

 

We have all of the information we need to solve for the velocity of the plane. We have an angle and a side adjacent to that angle. Therefore, we can use the cosine function to solve for the velocity.

\(\displaystyle cos(45^{\circ}) = \frac{300}{v}\)

Rearranging for v, we get:

\(\displaystyle v = \frac{300}{cos(45^{\circ})} = 424 \text{ mph}\)

Example Question #3 : Angular And Linear Velocity

A car is traveling NW at a speed of \(\displaystyle 60\) mph. What are the magnitudes of each of its North and West components?

Possible Answers:

North: \(\displaystyle 60\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 60\) mph

North: \(\displaystyle 45\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 45\) mph

North: \(\displaystyle 84.85\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 84.85\) mph

North: \(\displaystyle 30\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 51.96\) mph

North: \(\displaystyle 42.43\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 42.43\) mph

Correct answer:

North: \(\displaystyle 42.43\) mph

West: \(\displaystyle 42.43\) mph

Explanation:

If the car is traveling NW, it means that the angle \(\displaystyle \theta\) is \(\displaystyle 45\) degrees above the x-axis. Using this angle, and the fact that the magnitude of the velocity is \(\displaystyle 60\) mph, we can find the x and y components, or the west and north components using trigonometry.

\(\displaystyle \text{West: } \cos(45)=\frac{x}{60}\)

\(\displaystyle x=42.43\)

\(\displaystyle \text{North: } \sin(45)=\frac{y}{60}\)

\(\displaystyle y=42.43\)

Example Question #1 : Angular And Linear Velocity

An object is moving in a circular path. How will its linear velocity change if the diameter of the circular path was decreased by one half?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Increase by: } \frac{1}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Decrease by: } \frac{1}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Decrease by: } \frac{1}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Decrease by: } \frac{1}{8}\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Increase by: } \frac{1}{4}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Decrease by: } \frac{1}{2}\)

Explanation:

Write the formula for the linear velocity.

\(\displaystyle v=\omega r\)

The diameter is twice the radius.

\(\displaystyle d=2r\)

If the diameter was decreased by one half, the radius will also decrease by one half.

Therefore:

\(\displaystyle v=\omega \cdot \frac{1}{2} r\)

\(\displaystyle v=\frac{1}{2}( \omega r)\)

The linear velocity will decrease by one half.

Example Question #1 : Angular And Linear Velocity

Find the linear velocity in meters per second of an object if it took \(\displaystyle 2\) hours to travel a distance of \(\displaystyle 30\) kilometers. Round to the nearest integer.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 7\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

\(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle 10\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 4\)

Explanation:

Write the linear velocity formula.

\(\displaystyle v=\frac{x}{t}\)

Since the answer is required in meters per second, two conversions will need to be made.

Convert 30 kilometers to meters.

\(\displaystyle 30 \: \textup{kilometers}\left(\frac{1000\:\textup{meters}}{1 \textup{ kilometer}}\right)=30000 \:\textup{meters}\)

Convert 2 hours to seconds.

\(\displaystyle 2\:\textup{hours}\left(\frac{60\textup{ minutes}}{1\textup{ hour}}\right)\left(\frac{60 \textup{ seconds}}{1 \textup{ minute}}\right)=7200\:\textup{seconds}\)

Apply the formula.

\(\displaystyle v=\frac{x}{t}=\frac{30000\textup{ meters}}{7200\textup{ seconds}}=4.1\bar{6}=4\)

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