Realize that we might be able to solve this by graphing, or at least approximate the
All right now let's work on this together. And I encourage you to have a go on it, (laughing) a go at it. So pause this video and haveĪ go at this if you like, and then we'll work on this together. They say hint, use a graphing calculator and round your answer One of the solutions is x is equal to 0.5. Told we want to solve the following equation, the negative natural log of two x is equal to two times the absolute value of x minus four, all of that minus seven. Other tests might be possible without calculators in general, but become easier (and quicker) with them. Using a calculator for the first time on an important test could present a problem). If the need be you could always borrow one from a friend or fellow student if it is just for one test (I did this myself when I took the SAT and borrowed a scientific calculator, but I was already familiar with it. For standardized tests like the SAT, there is a list of acceptable calculators (they won't let you use an app on your phone for obvious reasons) and while it is possible with a 4-function or scientific calculator, graphing is recommended. If having a physical calculator is the problem, there are programs you can use such as websites and apps that accomplish the same thing.Īs for being allowed on tests, that is something to ask your teacher and they might even have a class set. Here are some example students projects using Desmos.I suppose you could algebraically solve this particular problem by setting the functions equal to each other although this would probably be a harder process and you would still need to do calculations with e, which would probably require a calculator of some kind, if not a graphing one. MVT and Rolle’s Theorem A demonstration of the connection between the Mean Value Theorem and Rolle’s Theorem. PDFs and CDFs A tool for building graphs of distribution and density functions. When Technology Fails! The interactive that spawned this fascinating conversation, and this talk. Vector Derivatives A demonstration of vector-valued functions and their derivativesĬircumcircle The perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle are concurrent at the circumcenter Two Vectors Span the Plane A visualization of linear independence. The locus of points equidistant to a fixed point and a line segment A visualization inspired by a James Tanton problem.ĭistance from to the point (b,0) The interactive that accompanies this neat little result.Įxploring Correlation and Regression An interactive tool for exploring some elementary concepts in statistics. Maximize the area of this rectangle! A simple, engaging introduction to optimization. Here is a short list of some of the demonstrations I have created using Desmos.ĭistance from a point to a graph A nice visualization of the distance from a point to a graph. You can read about one such workshop here.Īnd this document is part of my standard Introduction to Desmos workshop: Introduction to Desmos
I have presented on Desmos many times, to teachers, administrators, and students. I employ Desmos, the free, web-based graphing calculator, in a variety of ways: as a presentation platform, as a exploration environment, and as a tool for students to build with mathematics.