From: Jeanne (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Mar 21, 2008 at 19:11:52
Subject: Re: Software for creating trigonometric graphs and geometric figures

Hi Mark,

Let's start with creating geometric figures. I use a software from Key
Curriculum Press called Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP). Here's the URL:
http://www.keypress.com/x5521.xml
The software is much, much more than a drawing tool. It's a great
teaching/learning tool. GSP allows you to construct geometric both static and
dynamic figures accurately, with labels.

Trig functions... I have 3 methods.
1)  GSP also allows you to plot trig functions in radians or degrees, but
when I use GSP for trig functions, I've had to label the x-intercepts (in
terms of pi) manually with the text tool.

2) I sometimes graph the trig function on my graphing calculator, TI-84, for
example, connect the calculator to my computer using my TI Connect cable, and
the the TI Connect to take screenshots of what is showing on my calculator
screen.  From there I paste the screenshot into my document. The calculator
can be set to scale the axes in terms of pi, but you more than likely will
not see, for example pi/2, or 2pi, on the axis. You'll just see the hash
marks.

3) My favorite graphing software to use is called Graphmatica. It is
inexpensive and easy to use. The URL is http://www8.pair.com/ksoft/. You
can set the scale to be in terms of pi/n and the labels may appear on the
x-axis. It depends upon the size of the window you use.

Hope this helps.

-Jeanne, for the T2T service

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