Starting at its rightmost position, it takes 1 second for the pendulum of a grandfather clock to swing a horizontal distance of 12 inches from right to left, and 1 second for the pendulum to swing back from left to right. Write a cosine function, d = acos(bt), to model the distance, d, of the pendulum from the center (in inches) as a function of time t (in seconds).

Verified Answer :

For the answer to the question above, asking to write a cosine function, d = acos(bt), to model the distance, d, of the pendulum from the center (in inches) as a function of time t (in seconds).T = 2s ------> f = 1/T = 0.5 Hz -----> ω = 2πf = π radians/sec 
A = 6" 
d(t) = 6"cos(πt)

Function which describe the motion of the pendulum is called the function of the pendulum. The cosine function of the pendulum is,

\(d(t)=6\cos (\pi t)\)

What is the function of the pendulum?

Function which describe the motion of the pendulum is called the function of the pendulum.

Given information-

The given cosine function for the pendulum is,

\(d=a\cos (bt)\)

The pendulum takes 1 second to swing horizontal distance of 12 inches from right to left.

The pendulum takes 1 second to swing horizontal distance of 12 inches  from left to right.

The total time taken by the pendulum to complete one cycle is,

\(t=1+1\\t=2\)

Thus the time taken by the pendulum to complete one cycle is 2 seconds.

As the frequency of the pendulum is inverse of the time. Thus frequency,

\(f=\dfrac{1}{t} \\f=\dfrac{1}{2}\)

Angular speed of the pendulum can be given as,

\(\omega=2\pi f\\\omega=2\times\pi\times\dfrac{1}{2} \\\omega=\pi\)

Thus value of angular acceleration \(b\) is \(\pi\) red per seconds.

The distance of the pendulum from the center is half of the total distance. Thus,

\(a=\dfrac{12}{2} \\a=6\)

Hence the distance of the pendulum from the center is 6 inch.

Put the value in given cosine function as,

\(d(t)=6\cos (\pi t)\)

Thus the cosine function of the pendulum is,

\(d(t)=6\cos (\pi t)\)

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