The resizable xFunctions phase plotter
Here is a quick summary of how to plot a direction field using this plotter:
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- Click on the button labeled "Launch xFunctions"
- When the plotting window appears, click and hold on the "main screen" bar at the top of the window and select "integral curves utility".
- To get started, enter dx/dt = 1 (near the bottom of the screen) -- this makes the t variable and the x variable the same.
- Enter your equation on the last line, for example dy/dt = y or dy/dt =y +x. (Remember that you have made t and x equal, so the second example is really dy/dt = y +t. Unfortunately the constraints of the computer program only allow the variables x and y to be entered.
- If you want, you can also enter pairs of equations such as dx/dt = x +y and dy/dt = x-y. This allows you to plot simple examples of simultaneous differential equations.