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Period of a Periodic Function

Period of a Periodic Function

The horizontal distance required for the graph of a periodic function to complete one cycle. Formally, a function f is periodic if there exists a number p such that f(x + p) = f(x) for all x. The smallest possible value of p is the period. The reciprocal of period is frequency.

 

Graph of a periodic wave on x-y axes with three arrows each labeled "period" marking one complete cycle of the wave.

 

See also

Period of periodic motion