Correct Answer
The sine function is responsible for the up-and-down variation in the number of cars parked in the garage. The sine function increases and decreases periodically, and we can determine whether the number of cars is increasing or decreasing by looking at the slope of the sine function over each interval. During the first interval (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.), the sine function is increasing, so the number of cars increases. During the second and third intervals (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), the sine function is decreasing, so the number of cars decreases.
Understand the Function
The number of cars in the garage y, x hours after 6:00 a.m. is modeled by the function:y, equals 180 plus 130 sine, open parenthesis, the fraction with a numerator of x and a denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, close parenthesis
$$ y = 180 + 130 \sin \left( \frac{x}{12} \pi \right) $$
The function is a sinusoidal model, with the following key components:
- 180: The baseline number of cars, meaning that without the sinusoidal variation, there would be 180 cars.
- 130: The amplitude of the sine function, meaning the number of cars oscillates up and down by 130 cars from the baseline.
- sine, open parenthesis, the fraction with a numerator of x and a denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, close parenthesis \( \sin \left( \frac{x}{12} \pi \right): \) The oscillation (up and down) over time. The sine function repeats every 24 hours (since the fraction with a numerator of x and a denominator of 12, end fraction, pi \( \frac{x}{12} \pi \) implies a full sine cycle over 24 hours). The number of cars increases when this part is increasing and decreases when it is decreasing.
Analyze the Function for Each Interval
To determine whether the number of cars increases or decreases, we need to evaluate how the sine function behaves within each interval. Here, the sine function mathematics expression or equation \( \sin \left( \frac{x}{12} \pi \right) \) follows the general pattern of the sine curve, which starts at 0, increases to 1, decreases back to 0, then to negative one \( -1, \) and back to 0 over its full period, which is 2 pi. \( 2 \pi. \)
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. x equals 1 to x equals 3 \( ( x = 1 \text{ to } x = 3 ) \)
At x equals 1, \( x = 1, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, equals fraction with numerator of pi and denominator of 12, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{\pi}{12}, \) and sine open parenthesis fraction with numerator of pi and denominator of 12 \( \sin \left( \frac{\pi}{12} \right) \) is a small positive value. At x equals 3, \( x = 3, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi equals fraction with numerator of pi and denominator of 4, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{\pi}{4}, \) and sine, open parenthesis fraction with numerator of pi and denominator of 4 equals fraction with numerator of the square root of 2 and denominator of 2, which is approximately equal to 0 point 7 0 7. \( \sin \left( \frac{\pi}{4} \right) = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} \approx 0.707. \) Thus, the sine function is increasing from x equals 1 \( x = 1 \) to x equals 3, \( x = 3, \) so the number of cars increases.
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. x equals 7 to x equals 10 \( x = 7 \text{ to } x = 10 \)
At x equals 7, \( x = 7, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, equals fraction with numerator of 7 pi and denominator of 12, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{7\pi}{12}, \) and sine, open parenthesis fraction with numerator of 7 pi and denominator of 12, close parenthesis, \( \sin \left( \frac{7\pi}{12} \right) \) is decreasing toward 0. At x equals 10, \( x = 10, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, equals fraction with numerator of 5 pi and denominator of 6, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{5\pi}{6}, \) and sine, open parenthesis fraction with numerator of 5 pi and denominator of 6, close parenthesis \( \sin \left( \frac{5\pi}{6} \right) \) is still positive but closer to 0. The sine function is decreasing during this time, so the number of cars decreases.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. x equals 11 to x equals 14 \( x = 11 \text{ to } x = 14 \)
At x equals 11, \( x = 11, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, equals fraction with numerator of 11 pi and denominator of 12, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{11\pi}{12}, \) and sine, open parenthesis fraction with numerator of 11 pi and denominator of 12, close parenthesis \( \sin \left( \frac{11\pi}{12} \right) \) is still positive but close to 0. At x equals 14 \( x = 14, \) fraction with numerator of x and denominator of 12, end fraction, pi, equals fraction with numerator of 7 pi and denominator of 6, \( \frac{x}{12} \pi = \frac{7\pi}{6}, \) and sine, open parenthesis fraction with numerator of 7 pi and denominator of 6, close parenthesis \( \sin \left( \frac{7\pi}{6} \right) \) is negative. The sine function is decreasing during this time, so the number of cars decreases.