FIRST THING YOU ALWAYS DO IS DRAW A DIAGRAM!!!!!
DIAAAAAAAAAAAGRAAAAAAAAAAAAM
mk
now we know that it takes 7 hours to go from low tide to high tide. Mathematically, this means:
0.5T=7
.: T=14 {but T=2pi/n}
.: n=pi/7 hours
ALSO, we know that the origin of SHM is the average between the amplitudes .: the origin is at 10.5m but we want the origin to be at 0 .: we take away 10.5 from all values.
low tide (-1.5m) origin high tide (1.5m)
++-------------------------0--------------------------++
Next, we start substiuting the values we know into the displacement equation:
x=Acos(nt+e) {A=1.5m, n=pi/7}
.:x=1.5cos(pi.t/7 +e)
We assume that the low tide initially begins when t=0 .: x=-1.5 {Sub these values in to find e}
Now we get the full equation which should be:
x=1.5cos(pi.t/7 + pi)
To find the times when the ship can safely pass, we put in the displacement required which is (10m-10.5) =-0.5
-0.5/1.5=cos(pi.t/7 + pi)
.: we get 2 cases as cos @ is negative in the TAN and SIN quadrants...
0.608=pi.t/7 + pi AND 1.392=pi.t/7 + pi
.:t=-5.645, -3.898 {We add these values to the 4pm, i.e. 1600 hours}
.: t= 12:06 PM, 10:21 AM
Hopefully thats right