Lin McMullin
Educational Consultant
Winplot
My own Winplot files to demonstrate various mathematical ideas.
Winplot
Download WINPLOT a FREE graphing utility for PCs. This program does all kinds of 2D and 3D graphing and has many features perfect for demonstrating the ideas of calculus (Riemann sums, solids of revolution and regular cross-section, moving tangent lines, slope fields etc.) as well as pre-calculus (transformations, parameters, parametric and polar graphs, etc.) . Have your students download their own copy. Graphs of all type may be quickly pasted into Word documents. Click here or here for instructions.
NOTE: Winplot is updated every few weeks. If any of these files won't open, try downloading the latest version.
Winplot Demonstration Files
(In no particular order)
Here are some files that you can download and run with Winplot. To see the directions open the file and if the "notebook" with directions is not open use CTRL+SHIFT+N to open it.
As I do more, I will post them here.
Increasing - Decreasing - Concavity shows how Riemann sums can be used to see where and why the function defined by the definite integral increases, decreases and has the concavity it has. (Was "Concavity Demonstration Revised 11-2-07)
Vector Graph lets the user enter any parametric or vector equation and see how the path is formed by the i- and j-component vectors.
Chain Rule Demonstration gives a graphical look at the chain rule.
A Graphical Look at Difference Quotients shows the forward, backward and symmetric (nDeriv) difference quotients converging to the derivative.
Cycloid: A component vector demonstration showing how the component vectors produce the path traveled by a point a wheel. The position of the point (on the rim, the interior of the wheel or on a flange past the rim) may be changed. The velocity vector may also be added to the drawing.
Slope field questions from AP Calculus exams 2002 BC 5 and 2004 BC 5. By animating the general solution you can see how the different particular solutions flow through the slope fields.
Volumes of revolution are illustrated in these Winplot files. They are based on several AP Calculus exam questions. For the washer method see 2003 AB 1 - BC 1 part b , or 2004 AB 2 - BC 2 part b or 2006 AB 1 - BC 1 part b or 2006 AB 1 - BC 1 part c Washers and for the Method of Cylindrical Shells see 2006 AB 1 - BC 1 part c Shells.
Here's a video showing how to Draw Solids of Revolution in Winplot The example is the curves from 2006 AB 1: the region between y = ln(x) and y = x - 2 between x = 0.158 and x = 3.146 is revolved around the y-axis.
Videos demonstrating the Washer and Shell method:
Graphing Look at the relationships between f (x), f '(x)and f ''(x). Enter your own functions.
Guess My Slope Look at the graph of the function {(x,y) | y = slope of f(x) at x} and try to guess its equation.
Demonstrations of the relationship between the sine, cosine and tangent line segments on the unit circle and the graphs of the functions. (The tangent files also includes the secant graph).
Any Powers Series lets you see the graph any powers series expressed as a sum and click through the powers 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 100 one at a time (Based on a suggestion by Benjamin Goldstein -- Thanks)
