2.1 The Plot Function

One of the most fundamental and useful graphics tools is the Plot function which can be used to draw the graph of a function. Here is a simple example.

Example 2.1.1

In[74]:= ( * using Plot to graph a function *)         <b class="bold">Plot [Sin [</b>x<b class="bold">], {</b>x<b class="bold">, 0, 2 Pi}]</b>

The Plot function takes two arguments. The first is the function that we want to plot which, in this case, is the sine function Sin[x]. The second argument is the list { x, 0, 2 Pi} which tells Mathematica to graph sin x from x = 0 to x = 2 ?. In other words, this list indicates the domain of the function. The domain list { x, 0, 2 Pi} is similar to the counter list { k, 1, 10} that we might include as an argument to the Table function. In both cases we are naming a variable, x or k, and giving the minimum and maximum values that we want it to vary between. With the Plot function it is important that the variable we use in...