What Inexpensive Graphing Package Can Plot a Vector Field in Polar Coordinates?

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The discussion revolves around plotting a vector field defined in polar coordinates, specifically the equations v_θ = r + θ and v_θ = r^(-1) + θ. The user seeks advice on inexpensive software options for graphing, as they only have access to the macOS application GRAPHER. Participants suggest several alternatives, including Matplotlib, Octave, Maxima, and Gnuplot. Matplotlib is highlighted for its ability to export figures in various formats, such as PNG, which can be easily included in a pdflatex document. Gnuplot is also mentioned as a viable option for creating vector field plots.
member 428835
hey pf!

i have a vector field i would like to plot. it's in polar coordinates. specifically, it's simple like $$v_\theta=r+\theta$$ and $$v_\theta=r^{-1}+\theta$$
i don't have any nice software other than the macbook GRAPHER. can anyone help me or give me advice to an inexpensive package i could use to graph this? ultimately i would like to import the graph into a pdflatex file.

thanks!

josh
 
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there must be quite a few you can use, here are some examples:
matplotlib
octave
maxima
 
have you used all of these? if so, which do you prefer? also, can i import them into pdflatex?
 
I currently use matplotlib. With matplotlib, you can export the figure directly from the figure window into various formats, I typically prefer png, which can them be included into latex.
 

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