Amplitude vs. Midline: Why the Highest Point Is Not the Amplitude

A wave reaches 18 inches. Is its amplitude really 18? Watch the moving point and its height graph reveal why the middle matters. Learn to calculate the midline from the average of the maximum and minimum, then find amplitude as half the vertical range. We work through a tire and a vibrating guitar string, including negative positions and checks at both extremes. Practice focus: AP Precalculus-level sinusoidal models and graph interpretation. Chapters 00:00 Is the maximum also the amplitude? 00:28 A turning wheel produces a height graph 01:02 Midline: average the two positions 01:41 Visual practice 1 - Find a distance 03:09 Practice 1 - Tire: read the clues 04:34 Shift versus stretch: different jobs 04:50 Practice 2 - Guitar: read the clues 06:02 One picture. Two different measurements. Pause at each practice question and identify the keywords before following the solution. Which picture made the formula click for you? Subscribe to Math Is Art for visual math explanations and step-by-step practice. #Trigonometry #Precalculus #MathIsArt # Visual math