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Home Q & A Board Science-Related Homework Help Mathematics
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rikolasdf rikolasdf
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10 years ago
How can you explain why a function is periodic?  What makes it a periodic function.
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10 years ago
There is a (nonzero) k such that f(x+k) = f(x) for all x.  The smallest k is called the period.
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BulletBullet
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10 years ago
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#3
10 years ago
A periodic function is a function which repeats itself after some time, or period.  For example, f(x)=sin x.  (x in degrees) When x=0, f(x)=0.  So it goes up to f(x)=1 when x=90, f(x)=0 at x=180, f(x)=-1 at x=270, and finally f(x)=0 at x=360.  

This is the period for sin x, 360 degrees.
same for cos x, except it starts at 1.

Usually it is used to science to describe oscillations, waves, and anything which repeats after a period.
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