General Question

blastfamy's avatar

Mac function graphing?

Asked by blastfamy (2174points) November 3rd, 2008

A teacher is having us type out mathematical proofs. She wants us to include graphs in our proofs. The graphing program she wants us to use is windows only (a basic freeware graphing program). I have a mac.

I’m looking for the most fully functional graphing program for the mac (preferably freeware) available. It should be able to graph polar functions alongside cartesian functions. Tools that calculate differentials and integrals would also be helpful.

I know about mathematica, but I don’t have it and probably can’t get it legally.

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10 Answers

iwamoto's avatar

…Applications > Utilities > Grapher

richardhenry's avatar

That’s right, your Mac comes with graphing software. ;)

windex's avatar

true, man I was so happy when I found it, too bad it was YEARS after my last math class!

blastfamy's avatar

I’m trying to get it to graph parametric functions.

Does anyone know of a guide on how to do this?

Anaphase's avatar

The Mac Grapher can graph parametric equations. I’m not currently at my Mac, so I can’t give you step-by-step instructions, but I know that you can pull up sample equations from the file menu. Just look at some of the examples and you’ll get the hang of it.

AlfredaPrufrock's avatar

Didn’t your graphing calculator come with software?

chromaBYTE's avatar

“Examples -> Parametric Cruves” should get you in the right direction.

blastfamy's avatar

TI 83/89 comes with graphing, and they do parametric graphs, but they don’t limit the functions to ranges…

I figured out how to do the parametric graphs. I’m actually quite impressed with the bundled mac grapher, now that I understand it…

thanks, all.

chromaBYTE's avatar

the TI graphics calculators are pretty powerful, but mac grapher is just easier to use.

Plus grapher is prettier…

blastfamy's avatar

so pretty…

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