- The following table shows average temperature per month for Tamanrasset,
Algeria (near the Sahara Desert). Temperature and rainfall data for this
and other places can be found at the
World Climate site.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|
|---|
| °F | 55.0 | 59.7 | 65.1 | 72.0 | 79.0 | 83.8 | 83.3 | 82.8 | 79.9 | 72.7 | 64.0 | 56.7 |
|
Plot the data and observe that they appear roughly sinusoidal. Why does it make
sense that average monthly temperature can be modelled by a periodic
function?
- We're going to model this graph with a sinusoidal function. Looking
at the data plot, estimate the period, amplitude, and vertical and
horizontal translations. Use those values in a sinusoidal equation,
and test your model by graphing it on top of the data. (It won't be
exact, but it should at least hit some of the points and be relatively
close to the others.)
- Go to the World Climate site, and
select temperature values for another city. One place with interesting
data is Vostok,
Antarctica. Plot the data, and try to fit them with a sinusoidal
model. (Note: The rainfall data, while interesting, generally
does not fit comfortably into a sinusoidal model.)
