Setting the graph format, Displaying the graph, Using graph tools in pol graphing mode – Texas Instruments TI-86 User Manual

Page 131: The free-moving cursor

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Chapter 8: Polar Graphing

119

08POL.DOC TI-86, Chap 8, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:26 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:02 PM Page 119 of 8

08POL.DOC TI-86, Chap 8, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:26 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:02 PM Page 119 of 8

Setting the Graph Format

To display the format screen in

Pol

graphing mode, select

FORMT

from the

GRAPH

menu

(6 / (). Chapter 5 describes the format settings. Although the same settings are
available for

Func

,

Pol

, and

Param

graphing modes, the TI

-86 retains in memory separate

format settings for each mode. In

Pol

graphing mode,

PolarGC

shows the cursor coordinates

in terms of

r

and

q

, the variables that define the equations.

Displaying the Graph

To plot the selected polar equations, you can select

GRAPH

,

TRACE

,

EVAL

,

RCGDB

, or a

ZOOM

,

MATH

,

DRAW

, or

RCPIC

operation, from the

GRAPH

menu. The TI

-86 evaluates

r

for

each value of

q

(from

q

Min

to

q

Max

in intervals of

q

Step

) and then plots each point. As the

graph is plotted, the variables

q

,

r

,

x

, and

y

are updated.

Using Graph Tools in Pol Graphing Mode

The Free-Moving Cursor

The free-moving cursor in

Pol

graphing works the same as in

Func

graphing.

In

RectGC

format, moving the cursor updates the values of

x

and

y

; if

CoordOn

format is

selected,

x

and

y

are displayed.

In

PolarGC

format, moving the cursor updates

x

,

y

,

r

, and

q

; if

CoordOn

format is

selected,

r

and

q

are displayed.

DrawLine

graph format

typically displays a more
meaningful polar graph than
DrawDot

graph format.

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