Using the free-moving cursor, Graphing accuracy – Texas Instruments TI-86 User Manual

Page 101

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Chapter 6: Graph Tools

89

06TOOLS.DOC TI-86, Chap 6, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:23 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:01 PM Page 89 of 22

06TOOLS.DOC TI-86, Chap 6, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:23 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:01 PM Page 89 of 22

Using the Free-Moving Cursor

When you select

GRAPH

from the

GRAPH

menu, the graph

screen is displayed with the free-moving cursor at the
center of the screen.

The cursor appears as a plus sign with a flashing center
pixel. To move the cursor, press ", #, !, or $; it moves
in the direction of the cursor key you press.

In

RectGC

format, each cursor movement updates the variables

x

and

y

. In

PolarGC

format, each cursor movement updates

x

,

y

,

R

, and

q

.

In

CoordOn

format, the

x

and

y

cursor coordinates are displayed at the bottom of the

graph screen as you move the cursor.

Graphing Accuracy

The coordinate values displayed as you move the cursor approximate actual mathematical
coordinates, accurate to within the width and height of the pixel. As the difference between

xMin

and

xMax

and between

yMin

and

yMax

becomes smaller (for example, when you zoom

in on a graph), graphing is more accurate and coordinate values approximate the actual
mathematical coordinates more closely.

The free-moving cursor coordinates represent the cursor location on the graph screen.
Moving the free-moving cursor precisely from one plotted point to the next along a function
is very difficult. To move along a function easily, use the trace cursor (page 90).

In the example, the function
y(x)=x^3+.3x

2

-4x

is graphed.

The numeric display mode
settings do not affect
coordinate display.

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