Exploring the Cosine Curve

Below is the graph of a cosine curve. Adjust each slider and observe what happens to the graph. The equation for the curve is on the left hand side in the algebra window.

Explain what happens to the graph as you adjust each slider (a,b,c, and d). What happens to the equation? Can we use this information to write a "general" equation for the graph of a cosine curve? Make sure you are looking at the effects of the sliders when they are both positive and negative.

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Kelly Harms, Created with GeoGebra