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Chapter 2: Documenting Polynomial Zero Finding
that of the algebra window. In particular, the Status Bar displays the following graphics
information:
•
Cross
gives the coordinates of a movable cross,
•
Center
gives the coordinates of the picture center,
•
Scale
gives the scale factors of both axes,
•
The crossed square icon preceding the word
Cross
indicates Cartesian coordinates.
Draw the graph using the
Plot Expression
button
.
Oops—the
Plot Expression
button is dimmed inaccessible.
The reason is that the
Plot Expression
button (as well as its equivalent, the
Insert>Plot
command) plots the point set given by the algebra window’s highlighted expression, but
currently the second text object is highlighted and a text object can’t be plotted.
Highlight the polynomial by clicking on it (this makes the algebra window the active
window), then make the 2D-plot window active again by clicking its Title Bar.
There are several techniques to make a different window active:
•
From the algebra window use the Command Toolbar’s
2D-plot window
button
and from
the 2D-plot window use the Command Toolbar’s
Algebra window
button
.
•
Click on the window you want to make active. This method, however, must be used with
care: Clicking on an algebra window with the left mouse button is likely to alter the
highlighting, clicking on a 2D-plot window with the left mouse button is likely to move the
graphics cross, this might have unexpected effects. Therefore, it is better to click with the
right mouse button to change windows, or to click, with any mouse button, into the window’s
Title Bar.
•
From the algebra window use the
Window>
y
2D-plot
command and from the graphics
window use the
Window>
x
Algebra
command. (The numbers
x
and
y
may vary.)
•
From the algebra window use the
(Alt)
+
(W)
and
(y)
keys and from the graphics window use
the
(Alt)
+
(W)
and
(x)
keys as abbreviations of the above.
