Chapter 13.2
Tides and water depth trig problems
What You'll Learn
Model tides and water depth using negative cosine functions
Determine amplitude, period, and phase shift from real-world tide data
Convert between 12-hour and 24-hour time formats for trigonometric modeling
Use graphing calculators to find intersection points and solve tide problems
Interpret high tide and low tide values from sinusoidal function graphs
What You'll Practice
1
Writing trigonometric equations from minimum and maximum water depths
2
Calculating water depth at specific times using trig functions
3
Finding time intervals when water depth meets safety requirements
4
Using calculator intersection features to solve real-world constraints
Why This Matters
Understanding tides through trigonometry is essential for marine navigation, coastal engineering, and environmental science. Whether you're planning harbor operations, designing coastal structures, or studying marine ecosystems, predicting water depth accurately ensures safety and informs critical decisions.
Before You Start — Make Sure You Can:
This Unit Includes
1 Video lesson
Skills
Trigonometric Functions
Negative Cosine
Period and Amplitude
Phase Shift
Real-World Modeling
Graphing Calculator
Time Conversion
