A vfew questions

[GrowingSmaller]

Using this graphing calculator, what cool shapes can I make except for waves like y=sin(x)?I would like to make spirals or circles, or even fractals, but is that possible.

Also if not what king of software would you recommend for a laptop (not a download, a cd rom). A good graphing instrument, preferable with a guide as to what I an do with it as I have no formal education in that field.

Aslo are there any educational science or math cd roms available, for example from nasa, or even dvds if thats not possible? I dont want just reading and pics though, a book would do that.

 

[TheReasoner]

Using this graphing calculator, what cool shapes can I make except for waves like y=sin(x)?I would like to make spirals or circles, or even fractals, but is that possible.

Also if not what king of software would you recommend for a laptop (not a download, a cd rom). A good graphing instrument, preferable with a guide as to what I an do with it as I have no formal education in that field.

Aslo are there any educational science or math cd roms available, for example from nasa, or even dvds if thats not possible? I dont want just reading and pics though, a book would do that.

There are plenty of excellent math books you can get from Amazon. My favorite is probably not for you - yet. Erwin Kreyzig "Advanced engineering mathematics" is a little heavy. Wait until you have calculus down pretty good, even multivariate calculus, before you jump onto that one. But Edwards and Penney is pretty good and fairly simple for learning calculus from a fairly basic level. Also, you can try "for dummies" books. They can open the door for you. DVDs and reading material... iTunes U has some stuff. There are a bunch of MIT lectures out there for example. I've used those myself to supplement anything from math, physics, chemistry and molecular biology. It's free, too.

Graphing software... Well, if you're on a mac you can use 'grapher', it's included and is pretty good. Otherwise what I use is again probably way too heavy for you, but I use GNUplot in conjunction with LaTeX and Matlab. Easier: You can use Maple or Mathematica. Really simple: Wolframalpha.com
Still... You can make many really cool things with this, but it sort of presupposes a decent mathematical background. So you need to learn calculus first, and that will take time and dedication. It's well worth it though. Math is FUN when you get to crack it's code

Graphing calculator: Which one. Different graphing calculators can do different things. I seldom use one, for heavy stuff I tend to use my computers. But when I do, it's a Ti89 and I love it to bits. It can graph 3D, 2D, polar... Whatever, really.


If you want to learn more mathematics: AWESOME! However: There is no shortcut to math. In order to master it you must solve problems. And LOADS of them. When you start dreaming math you're probably on a roll and should just keep going. It takes hard work, and is well worth it.

 

[Cabal]

There are plenty of excellent math books you can get from Amazon. My favorite is probably not for you - yet. Erwin Kreyzig "Advanced engineering mathematics" is a little heavy.

Literally.

Graphing software... Well, if you're on a mac you can use 'grapher', it's included and is pretty good. Otherwise what I use is again probably way too heavy for you, but I use GNUplot in conjunction with LaTeX and Matlab. Easier: You can use Maple or Mathematica. Really simple: Wolframalpha.com
Still... You can make many really cool things with this, but it sort of presupposes a decent mathematical background. So you need to learn calculus first, and that will take time and dedication. It's well worth it though. Math is FUN when you get to crack it's code

iPython with pylab isn't terrible, if you can get used to it. It's free at least.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

OK thanks for the wolfram suggestion, I have made a circle!

Can I make a spiral or a fractal on it? If so what are the formulas please?

Also are there any interesting formulas I ought to know of to use on it?

 

[TheReasoner]

OK thanks for the wolfram suggestion, I have made a circle!

Can I make a spiral or a fractal on it? If so what are the formulas please?

Also are there any interesting formulas I ought to know of to use on it?

Sure. This one is one for the ladies:

They'll go weak in their knees when you say you x^2+(y-x^2/3)^2=1 them.

 

[Cabal]

Bit blurry, but there is also the Batman equation.

 

[Cabal]

Sure. This one is one for the ladies:

They'll go weak in their knees when you say you x^2+(y-x^2/3)^2=1 them.

Seems love can make many xy's (men) irrational.

 

[TheReasoner]

Seems love can make many xy's (men) irrational.

Hehe.
You know it does!

 

[Naraoia]

What type of graphing calculator do you have? One of the example programs in the manual of my TI-83 draws the Sierpinski triangle.

Also, if you feel like programming fractals... I just found this: explanation of the Mandelbrot set, including how to make a computer draw it! (And any Julia set, if one fractal is not enough)

I'm not sure how that beast would look on a calculator, though

Sure. This one is one for the ladies:


They'll go weak in their knees when you say you x^2+(y-x^2/3)^2=1 them.

Stuff your prejudice, manly man

Bit blurry, but there is also the Batman equation.

Someone had way too much free time!

 

[hasone]

Using this graphing calculator, what cool shapes can I make except for waves like y=sin(x)?I would like to make spirals or circles, or even fractals, but is that possible.

Also if not what king of software would you recommend for a laptop (not a download, a cd rom). A good graphing instrument, preferable with a guide as to what I an do with it as I have no formal education in that field.

Aslo are there any educational science or math cd roms available, for example from nasa, or even dvds if thats not possible? I dont want just reading and pics though, a book would do that.

A lot of software you'll only find in download. most of what I use I've downloaded, but you might be able to pick up cd versions of it.

A lot of math and science textbooks (especially at the early undergraduate level) will actually come with a cd-rom these days. I find the combination to be effective.

faith guardian was right about problems. the best place to get those is going to be books, but you'll find a lot of math and science books for free (legally, even!) online.

There is something called polar coordinates that opens up all sorts of nice graphs to you. If a graphing calculator or graphing program has a "polar" option, play around with that and you'll get some pretty cool stuff. The equation for a spiral in polar coordinates is very very simple, and you'll probably discover it very quickly.

edit: faith guardian mentioned calculus too. For drawing graphs calculus is really useful. It tells you a lot more about how equations relate to the pictures they make then just algebra or geometry would.

 

[TheReasoner]

faith guardian was right about problems. the best place to get those is going to be books, but you'll find a lot of math and science books for free (legally, even!) online.

Speaking of which... bookboon.com is a good site for free books. They are ad-financed, but free!

 

[GrowingSmaller]

I only have access to theis basic online 2d grapher:
Graphing Calculator

AND THIS 3D ONE:

Online 3-D Function Grapher

In a rush. How do I make a sphere, and a bobbly sphere?

 

[Cabal]

In a rush. How do I make a sphere

x^2+y^2+z^2=r^2

and a bobbly sphere?

Uh...a what?

 

[Tiberium]

When I was in highschool I had a graphing calculator, I spent hours during math class putting in different equations so I could find out what shapes they made.

Zero idea what most of the symbols meant.

In hindsight maybe if I spent more time paying attention and less time fiddling with the calculator I would actually know what those symbols meant.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

A "nobbly shpere" (a spheroid with nobbles on)?