This activity allows the user to see functions typed in as algebraic expressions graphed on the coordinate plane.

How Do I Use This Activity?

This java applet requires a java-capable browser. If you don't see the applet, Java may not be functional in your browser or on your machine.

Controls and Output

• Type the formula of the function you want to graph in the space at the top of the applet, next to y(x)=.
• Basic functions and their compositions can be typed as follows:

  Function	Symbol	Examples (including combinations of functions)
  addition	+	x + 3 x plus three
  subtraction	-	5 - x five minus x
  multiplication	*	(x - 2)*x x times x minus two
  division	/	3/x three divided by x
  power	**	x**3 - 1 x to the power of three minus one
  square root	sqrt(...)	sqrt(x-1) square root of x minus one
  absolute value	abs(...)	abs(3 - x) absolute value of three minus x
  e to the power of x	exp(...)	exp(x) e to the power of x
  sine	sin(...)	sin(x**2) sine of x squared
  cosine	cos(...)	cos(5 - x) cosine of five minus x
  tangent	tan(...)	tan(x) tangent x
  arcsine	asin(...)	2*asin(x)   two times arcsine x
  arccosine	acos(...)	acos(x) arccosine x
  arctangent	atan(...)	atan(x) arctangent of x
  hyperbolic sine	sinh(...)	sinh(1 - x) hyperbolic sine of one minus x
  hyperbolic cosine	cosh(...)	cosh(10/x) hyperbolic cosine of ten divided by x
  hyperbolic tangent	tanh(...)	tanh(x) hyperbolic tangent of x
  natural logarithm	log(...)	log(x) natural logarithm of x
  base 10 logarithm	log10(...)	log10(x + 5) base ten logarithm of x plus five

• Click Graph to graph the function.
• To plot more than one function on the same graph, separate the functions with commas.
• Set the x and y ranges of your graph in the Window area under Graph Setup. You can also set the space between grid lines by changing X scale and Y scale.
• Check the box next to Hide Grid to hide grid lines. Grid lines are drawn on the x-axis at intervals of x-scale and on the y-axis at intervals of y-scale.
• To find a position on the graph you can click with the mouse. The (x,y) pair where you clicked will appear in the Mouse Pos box.
• You are able to change the title of the graph by changing the text in the Title box. Click Graph and the graph title should appear above the graph itself.