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TMUA 2018 · Paper 1 · Question 18 of 20

TMUA 2018 Paper 1 Question 18

Trigonometry — Lines of symmetry of a sine curve. Try it first; the answer and a full worked solution are below.

TMUA 2018 · Paper 1TrigonometryLines of symmetry of a sine curve5 options
What is the smallest positive value of a for which the line x=a is a line of symmetry of the graph of y=sin(2x4π3)?
  1. Aπ12
  2. B5π12
  3. C7π12
  4. D11π12
  5. E19π12
Show the answer and worked solution
answer · B
  1. Aπ12
  2. B5π12
  3. C7π12
  4. D11π12
  5. E19π12
A sine curve is symmetric about each of its peaks and troughs, and nowhere else, so the lines of symmetry are the vertical lines through the turning points. These occur when 2x4π3=π2+kπ, so 2x=11π6+kπ and x=11π12+kπ2. Taking k=1 gives 11π126π12=5π12, and k=2 would give a negative value, so the smallest positive one is 5π12.