Graphing in polar form on the TI-81

In summary, Mark was able to find how to graph in polar form by downloading a documentation PDF and following the instructions.
  • #1
David Carroll
181
13
Greetings. I have been teaching myself Calculus. To do this I ordered a used Larson's 8th Edition Calculus and a used TI-81 graphing calculator. When I got to Chapter 10, I ran into a problem: the chapter introduces equations in polar form and when I whipped out my TI-81, I had no idea how to graph in polar form. The used cheapo came with no instruction booklet. I have pressed every button on this calculator to see how to graph in polar form, but with no luck. I'm at a dead end here. When I depress the "Mode" button, it gives me the option of converting from rectangular form to polar form, which to me obviously implies that it can graph in polar form. At the top, I press the "Y=" button and assume that perhaps when it's in "polar form" (which I made sure to do by the "Mode" button), it assumes that "Y=" becomes "r=". Nope. It doesn't. I'm at a loss.

Anyone help me out here?
 
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  • #2
David Carroll said:
Greetings. I have been teaching myself Calculus. To do this I ordered a used Larson's 8th Edition Calculus and a used TI-81 graphing calculator. When I got to Chapter 10, I ran into a problem: the chapter introduces equations in polar form and when I whipped out my TI-81, I had no idea how to graph in polar form. The used cheapo came with no instruction booklet. I have pressed every button on this calculator to see how to graph in polar form, but with no luck. I'm at a dead end here. When I depress the "Mode" button, it gives me the option of converting from rectangular form to polar form, which to me obviously implies that it can graph in polar form. At the top, I press the "Y=" button and assume that perhaps when it's in "polar form" (which I made sure to do by the "Mode" button), it assumes that "Y=" becomes "r=". Nope. It doesn't. I'm at a loss.

Anyone help me out here?
You should be able to download a documentation PDF for your calculator from the Texas Instruments site.
 
  • #3
Thanks, Mark. Found the Texas Instruments site, found the guidebook PDF, found how to graph in Polar Form. :)
 

FAQ: Graphing in polar form on the TI-81

What is graphing in polar form on the TI-81?

Graphing in polar form on the TI-81 is a way to plot points and graph equations using polar coordinates instead of Cartesian coordinates. It allows you to visualize and graph equations that are difficult to represent in Cartesian form.

How do I enter polar equations on the TI-81?

To enter polar equations on the TI-81, press the "MODE" button and select "Pol" from the menu. Then, press the "Y=" button and enter the equation in terms of "r" and "θ". Use the "θ" button to enter the theta symbol.

Can I graph multiple polar equations on the same graph?

Yes, you can graph multiple polar equations on the same graph on the TI-81. Simply enter each equation into the "Y=" menu and make sure they are all in polar form. You can also adjust the window settings to see all the equations on the same graph.

How do I change the viewing window for polar graphs on the TI-81?

To change the viewing window for polar graphs on the TI-81, press the "WINDOW" button. You can then adjust the values for the minimum and maximum values of "r" and "θ". You can also set the scale for each axis and choose whether to display the grid or not.

Can I find the intersection points of polar graphs on the TI-81?

Yes, you can find the intersection points of polar graphs on the TI-81 by using the "2nd" button and then selecting "Trace" from the menu. This will allow you to move the cursor to the intersection points and the coordinates will be displayed on the screen.

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