Use your calculator manual or the "Help" menu in the software to learn:

1. How to enter a function for graphing. (Be sure to use parentheses as needed.)
2. How to set the domain and range of the visible graph.
3. How to find the x intercepts of a graph.
4. How to find the intersection points of two graphs.

1. When you start the program, it brings up a blank screen.
2. Choose Window>2-dim. A coordinate system appears.
3. Choose Equa>Explicit and a window appears in which you can type a function, using the usual mathematical terminology. The endpoints in this window are only if you intend to limit the function domain. They don't affect viewing.
4. To view it in various sizes, after the graph comes up .
   • In View>View set the endpoints for the window.
   • View>Zoom and View>Shift are also useful. In Zoom you'll want to first set the Factor (View>Zoom>Factor) and in Shift you'll first want to set the Percentage (View>Shift>Percentage).
5. To find the x-intercepts, One>Zeroes.
6. Also, you can find any point on the graph: One>Slider and then use the slider in the dialog box to move the cursor and look at the coordinates of the cursor. Experiment with this and different viewing windows to see how the viewing window changes how much the slider changes x each time as you slide it.
7. You can graph several functions on the same graph. Just choose Equa>Explicit again without deleting the first graph.
8. To print your graph, make sure the graph window is selected (not the formula window) and File>Print.
9. Explore further to investigate other types of graphs, such as polar coordinates or parametric functions or 3-dimensional graphs. (Equa>Polar, Equa>Parametric, or Window>3-dim)

On the download page are links to various tutorials. I found the tutorial by Al Lehnen to be useful. The program is updated frequently so the tutorials from various people may be a bit out of date. I find them very useful anyway. (Earlier versions of the program had a choice "Fit Corners" that you'll see described in some of the tutorials. That has been replaced by "Zoom" and "Shift.")

Using the TI-81, TI-82, TI-83, TI-85, TI-86:
(All graphing calculators will do this problem in a fairly similar way.)

1. If you're graphing a trig function, put your calculator into the appropriate mode -- radians or degrees. If it's not a trig function, this doesn't matter.
2. Enter the function, by using the Y key at the top. (On TI-85/86, punch "Graph" first.) Use parentheses as needed.
3. Set the domain and range within which you want to view the graph. I recommend going a little past the range you really want to see in each direction.
4. Hit the "Graph" key. (Top right)
5. To see the coordinates of particular points, hit the "Trace" key and then use the arrow keys to move along the graph.
6. You can enter several functions and see them all on the same graph. Go back to the "Y=" key and enter another function on the next line, leaving the first one. When you graph it, you'll see both functions.

I strongly recommend keeping your Manual with your calculator and using it frequently. If you have lost your Manual, you can usually download it on the manufacturer's website. The last time I looked at one on the TI website, it was not very satisfactory for viewing there. It was better to download and print it.

Last updated September 27, 2004 . Mary Parker