Module 7 Honors Lesson Guided Notes Name_______________________

TANGENT FUNCTION

LESSON OVERVIEW
Like the sine and cosine functions, the tangent function is also a periodic function, but its graph differs
greatly from that of a sine or cosine graph. In this honors lesson, we will develop the graph of the parent
tangent function and then explore how to transform the graph by modifying the underlying equation.

Lesson Objectives & Standards – Learning Objectives

O Graph the parent tangent function and identify its key characteristics. 
O Transform the graph of the parent tangent function.

Key Terms
Tangent – the ratio determined by taking the side opposite an angle divided by the side adjacent to an
angle in a right triangle.
Radian – Measure of an angle based on the arc subtended by the central angle of a circle. One radian is
equal to the length of the arc that is equal to the radius of the circle.
Unit circle – Circle with a radius of one that is centered at the origin.
Domain – A complete set of possible input/independent values
Range – A complete set of possible output/dependent values.
Period – One complete revolution around the unit circle; a complete cycle or pattern on a trigonometric
graph.
Discontinuity – A place on a graph where the graph fails to be continuous. This means that the function
cannot be graphed without picking up the pencil.
Vertical Asymptote – A vertical line that is never crossed by a graph. A graph increases to infinity or
decreases to negative infinity at a vertical asymptote.
 The Parent Tangent Function
Let’s develop the graph of the parent tangent function using the
tangent values at key points on the unit circle. We will also explore key
characteristics of the tangent graph including the x-intercepts, y-
intercept, vertical asymptotes, domain, and range.

The Tangent Function

Just as with the sine and cosine functions, the graph of the tangent function is periodic. Recall
that the tangent value of a function is equal to the ratio y/x. at the corresponding point on the
unit circle.

To understand the graph of the tangent function, let’s start by creating a table of values based
on select angles of the unit circle:

θ 0 π π 3π π 5π 3π 7π 2π
4 2 4 4 2 4

tan ( θ ) 0 1 Und -1 0 1 und -1 0

Notice that the tangent values repeat more frequently than every 2π. In
fact, the period of y=tan ( x ) is π. because the graph will complete one full
cycle in the interval of [ 0 , π ].

The graph of one period of the tangent function is shown in the graph.
The graph of tangent is continuous on the interval (-π/2, π/2) However,
from the table of values that we created for tangent, we see that tangent
is undefined at π/2 and π/2. The undefined values mean that the graph of
tangent must have
discontinuous at these values.
The discontinuities will occur in
the form of vertical asymptotes.

When we view the graph of tangent across multiple

periods, the vertical asymptotes are sketched in as
vertical lines that the tangent
approaches but can never touch or cross. The image of
the tangent function shown on the interval [2π, 2π]
illustrates this.

2
The domain of the tangent function, therefore, must exclude all values where the tangent ratio is
undefined. This occurs at all members of the π/2 family. Therefore, the domain of the function is
all real numbers, x≠ -3π/2, -π/2, π/2 , 3π/2 …

The range of the tangent function is all real numbers as shown by the graph: each period of
tangent extends downward to negative infinity on the left and upward to positive infinity on the
right.

The x-intercepts of the parent tangent function are all members of the π family, so … -3π2. – 2π, - π,
0, π, 2π, 3π. The y-intercept of the parent tangent function is the origin

The tangent function is an odd function since it has point symmetry with respect to the origin.

The tangent function is increasing for all values in its domain. Since the domain of tangent
π
excludes all members of the family, the tangent function increases on x≠ -3π/2, -π/2, π/2, 3π/2
2

Transforming Tangent Functions

Vertical Shifts
The transformation equation for the tangent function is
f ( x )= Atan [ B ( x−C ) ] + D . We are going to focus on the
transformations B and D in these notes.

The D value in the tangent transformation equation reflects

a vertical shift in the graph. With sine and cosine, the D value
shifted the midline of the graph. However, the tangent
function has no maximum and minimum values and therefore
there is no midline to bisect the maximum and minimum. The D
value is simply an up or down shift in the tangent function.

Let’s explore what will happen to the tangent graph when we change the D value.

D > 0: upward Shift D < 0: Vertical shift down

Example: y=tan ( x )+2 Example: y=tan ( x )−1

2 1

- -
2 1
3
Just as with sine and cosine, changes to the period of the function impact the value of B in the
tangent transformation equation. However, since the parent tangent function has a period of ∏
the B value is equal to ∏/period = B.
Let’s explore what will happen to the graph when we change the period.

Period > π ⇒0< B<1 Period <2 π ⇒ B>1

Example: y=tan ( 12 x ) Example: y=tan ( 2 x )

1 1

- -
1 1

It’s time work with multiple transformations in the same equation. Graph one period of each of the
equations.

Example 1: f ( x )=tan ( 3 x ) +2 Example 2: f ( x )=tan ( 13 x )−2

Vertical shift: Vertical shift:

Period: Period:

2 2

- -
2 2
4
You Try

Graph one period of each of the following tangent functions.

1
1. f ( x )=tan ( x )+ 2 2. f ( x )=tan (2 x)−3
3

Vertical Shift: Vertical Shift:

Period: Period:

2 4
2

-
- -2
2 4