If mathematical graphs are generally not your cup of tea, perhaps you should try a cup of coffee instead? How about a cup of coffee that is sketched from a collection of equations your students might recognize? That’s not quite your textbook flavor of graphing mathematics, is it?
Desmos offers a remarkable and FREE online graphing calculator that allows you to visualize mathematical equations quickly and easily. Imagine turning equations into images everyone can identify and associate with? According to Desmos, “learning is a process of exploration and discovery, not a series of answers”. The students who explore tend to be the students who learn, and they have fun doing it. The creators of this extraordinary online calculator believe that “everyone can learn and enjoy math, given the right environment.” The website creates just that environment. Using the available tools. you can upload your own graphs so they are displayed on the screen. The option to change colours aids students in relating the mathematical equations to what they see on the screen.
Why not make your next lesson about graphs an exercise in discovery learning for your homeschooled child or classroom students? If you believe that “math is beautiful and surprisingly fun”, you will enjoy playing with the free online graphing calculator that Desmos has made available. Give it a try and let me know how you experienced the calculator.
