MathCurve Help

Pressing this button:

, positioned left on the second toolbar will bring up the graph dialog. It is also available in the menu, under "Graph" (Add graph), or by pressing Ctrl+A.

You then select what type of graph you want to use (f(x) by default) and write the equation in the formula field, for example:

(you can read more about the syntax here)

When pressing ok the function will be shown in the open document. You're able to add more functions in the same document by the same procedure.

Mouse movements and keyboard features
By clicking the right mouse-button the graph will be zoomed out. When holding the right mouse-button down and dragging the mouse, a box will be drawn. The program will zoom in to this area when you release the button.
By holding down the left mouse button, the program will trace the function closest to the mouse (only type f(x)). You will in the left bottom corner see the coordinates of both the mouse and the closest function. A cross will be drawn, showing what function and what coordinates that are being traced. By pressing the arrows on your keyboard you can move around in the graph. You can also zoom in and out with the plus and minus-buttons on your keyboard and you can scroll with the arrows on your keybord. (These functions are also available by pressing the arrows/zoom minus/zoom plus in the toolbar).

Choosing the coordinates of the window
Pressing the coordinates-button,

, or choosing "Windows Coordinates" under "Settings" in the menu, will bring up the following dialog:

Here you can choose the coordinates the document should have. By default (as seen), the document shows the interval -10 to 10 in both x- and y-direction. You can also name the axes here (by default x and f(x)). The last option, Display coordinates, descriebes how the coordinates shall be written in the document. By default, the program starts writing the coordinates at mark 1 in each direction and then writes coordinates every 2nd mark. By choosing "At intervals of 0 ...", the program writes coordinates at every mark.

Removing and interval
You remove a graph or change the interval that is should be drawn between in the same dialog that you add one, as seen above. They are also available under "Graph" in the menu. You can read more about it here.

Calculus
Under "Calculus" in the menu, one finds some calculus features the program supports. Some of these features are also available for quick access in the second toolbar. Read more about it here.

Regression
Under "Regression" in the menu, one can do regression from a written set of coordinates for points and receive an accurate formula suitable for the points. Read more about it here.

Constants:
pi, e,
you can also add your own constants with "Constants" under "Settings" in the menu.

Functions:
sine: sin()
cosine: cos()
tangent: tan()
inverse sine: arcsin()
inverse cosine: arccos()
inversed tangent: arctan()
e raised to...: exp() (or e^...)
logarithm (with 10 as base): log()
natural logarithm: ln()
absolute value: abs()
square root: sqrt() (or x^0.5)
square: sqr() (or x^2)

Example: 2x+sin(x)-x^2/pi
This means: 2 * x + sine of x - x raised to 2 / pi.
As always, ^ has higher priority than /, so x^2/pi is the same as (x^2)/pi.

The file menu

╖ New
Creates a new document.

╖ Open
Opens a saved document.

╖ Save, Save as
Saves the document.

╖ Undo
Undoes the last action. Note that not all actions can be undone for simplicity reasons; for example zooms and scrolling.

╖ Copy as bitmap
This copies the document to the clipboard as a bitmap. You can then implement it in your word processor, graphics application or another program by using the paste command. (Also accessable by pressing Ctrl + C)

╖ Add graph
This brings up the menu descriebed in the quick tutorial. In this you enter the different functions you want to see and work with.

╖ Delete graph
By choosing which formula you don't want anymore, you can delete it by pressing the button shown.

╖ Interval
You can here select what x-coordinates you want the functions to be drawn within. By default no coordinates have been choosen. For example, if you want your function to be drawn within -10 and 10, you choose "Defined" and then write "-10 < x <10". (x should be replaced with a 't' if it's a parametrical function you are drawing)

This menu holds all the calculus features the program has, some of these are also accessable through the second toolbar.

╖ Value table
Here you can generate value tables for a given function. Choose your function (or enter a new), select between what intervals you wish to calculate and what incremental step you wish to have and the push the 'Generate'-button. The values are then printed as seen below:

╖ Find value
Here you can find values on a function that you're looking for (roots, etc). Select a function (or write a new one), enter a value in the x-box if you want to find a y-value and press the 'Find Y-value'-button. The Y-value is then shown in the y-box. If you want to find x-value(s) instead, enter a y-value in the y-box and press the 'Find X-value'-button. The found value(s) are rolled down as seen below:

Don't forget to enter correct values under options. As seen above, the found values are between -4 and 4, so it works. If it would have been -1 and 1 instead, the program wouldn't have found any values.

╖ Find tangent/normal
Here you can find the tangent or normal for a function at a given point. Coose, or enter a new, function in the top field. Choose at what x-coordinate you wish to find the tangent or normal. Press 'Find tangent' or 'Find normal' and the equation of the tangent/normal will be shown. Press the button 'Add new func...' if you wish to add the new function derived to your graph document.

╖ Differentiation ——> Find derivative
Here the symbolic differentiation takes place. Choose, or enter a new, function in the top field. Press the 'Differentiate'-button and the derivative will be shown in the bottom field. By pressing the button 'Add new func...' the new function derived will be added to the graph document. Of course, by entering the new function to the top field and differentiating again, you get the second derivative of the first function.

╖ Differentiation ——> Find minima/maxima
Here you can find minimas, maximas and points of inflexion. Choose, or enter a new, function in the top field. Enter correct interval values and then press the 'Calculate...'-button. The derived values will be shown in the results-box, both the x- and y-values.

╖ Integration
Here you can calculate integrals numerically. Choose between which functions you wish to calculate the integral (one is f(x)=0 as default, so then only one function is to be chosen), between what values you wish to calculate the integral, the accuracy and the rule you want the program to use (they may give different results for given functions and values). Press the 'Calculate'-button and the result will be shown in the bottom field.

╖ Edit tables
Choose which regression table you wish to edit, add points by writing their coordinates in the X and Y-boxes and the press add (you can also delete and change written coordinates by pressing the buttons under the table). Choose if you want to display the written coordinates ("Show points in..."), then press "Close" if that's all you want to do or "Next >>" if you want to compute a formula for the given coordinates you've added.

╖ Compute
Select which regression table your formula should be based on, select what kind of formula you want to generate and then press "Calculate...". Note that the program might have problems with very small intervals.

╖ Window Coordinates
Here you can edit the coordinates of your graph document and the names of the axes. Also descriebed in the quick tutorial.

╖ General Settings
Here is the general settings dialog, where the most appearances of the document can be altered:
(press the area you want to know more about)

General Settings - Zoom; relative coordinates
This setting may be useful when it's essential to keep the same coordinates and the same marks in both x- and y-direction. So, if y-coordinate is larger than x-coordinate and "X-axis changes to.." is marked, then the coordinates at each mark is the same, but the distance between every mark in the x-direction is larger than the distance in the y-direction. Try it and you'll see.

General Settings - Legends (Equations)
Descriebes where the equations shall be written in the document, by default top left corner. Note that the x,y has it's origin (0,0) in the top left corner and descriebes your the coordinates of your screen and not you document. If you don't want to see the equations to the functions you're working with, then simply write very large numbers in the boxes.

General Settings - Regression
Size points: Descriebes how large the crosses that show your added points in your regression table shall be.

General Settings - Show
Here you define what shall be shown in the graph and the size of the axis and functions.

General Settings - Trigonometrical
Descriebes whether radians or degress shall be used.

General Settings - Accuracy
Tells how accurate the parametrical and polar functions shall be drawn. Higher accuracy leads to finer graphs but longer drawing-time.

General Settings - Slope fields
Descriebes how many lines shall be drawn in each direction (20x20 equals total of 400) and the size (length) of each line.

╖ Constants
Here is a list of some constants shown and you are able to edit them, except e and pi.

╖ Font
Here you can choose what font to use in your graph document. That includes both the coordinates, names of the axes and the written equations of the functions.

╖ Window and View
These are standard handling of the program and the documents found in many other programs as well.

╖ About the program
Some standard information about the program. This screen will be shown every time the program starts if the program isn't registered. If the program isn't registered there will be a registration-button shown in this screen as well.

As seen, shortcut to the most important dialog in the program; the Graph dialog, shortcuts to some calculus features.

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Support

In case this document doesn't answer the questions you have, you can always e-mail simon@benjaminsson.com for free support.

MathCurve is an equation grapher/analyser for Windows 95/98/2k/NT. It's capable of graphing cartesian, polar, parametric graphs and slope fields.

With its many features you can for example find the derivative of a function, trace, find x or y-coordinates, find extremas, generate value tables, find tangents/normals, do numerical integration and do regression.

With the program you can graph multiple graphs (and also use multiple documents) and study functions both graphically and analytically.

MathCurve is released as shareware. That means, you must register the program if you find it useful and want to continue using it. Once registered, you will get rid off the splash screen shown when you start the program and the text down in the right bottom of every window saying it's an unregistered version. Your registration code will also work for future versions of MathCurve.
If you like the program, please register!

The program was written in C/C++ and this version (1.0) was compiled: July 27, 2000.You can always go to http://mathcurve.cjb.net and see if a newer version is available. The author of this program, Simon Benjaminsson, is currently studying and living in Huskvarna, Sweden. He's available for personal contact here: simon@benjaminsson.com.