To plot an expression involving one variable
In the following, we describe techniques for creating plots with Scientific Notebook, showing how to plot lines and curves in the Euclidean plane, and lines, curves, and surfaces in three-dimensional Euclidean space. We describe the basic routines Rectangular, Polar, and Implicit from the Plot 2D submenu, and Rectangular, Cylindrical, Spherical, and Tube from the Plot 3D submenu. The submenus of Plot 2D, Plot 3D, and Calculus also contain a variety of specialized plotting routines for advanced topics in calculus, vector calculus, and differential equations. Those Scientific Notebook plotting options are introduced and discussed in later chapters, along with the related mathematics.
You can tell Scientific Notebook to plot an expression or function in several ways, as described in the ensuing sections. Most of these are variations on the following basic procedure.
A frame containing a plot of the expression appears in line after the expression, with the lower edge resting on the text baseline and the insertion point at the right of the plot. In the next section of this chapter—The Frame, The View, and The Plot Properties Tabbed Dialog—you will find information on repositioning and resizing the frame. Following that is information on revising plots.
The first attempt at a plot uses the default parameters that are set on the Plot Intervals page of the Maple Settings dialog. There are many settings you can adjust to obtain the view you prefer.
The following plot shows the function y = x sin x with the default domain interval -5 < x < 5 and the default view intervals on x and y. To make this plot, leave the insertion point in the expression x sin x, and click itbpF0.3009in0.3009in0.0701in2dplot.wmfor from the Plot 2D submenu, choose Rectangular.
x sin x
dtbpF3in2.0003in0pt
There are other ways to enter plot information, to change both the appearance and the position of the plot, and to plot multiple items on the same axes. These points are explained one at a time in the following sections. First, we will discuss terminology and general properties pertaining to all Scientific Notebook plots.