Category: Cram Session
Hello,
I just started college last August. I'm taking an algebra course, and we will be starting the chapter on graphing soon. I was wondering if you have any suggestions as to how I can do the graphing tactually. Are there any household items I can use or other products I can order from somewhere? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Sandrita
If you are referring to the scatter plot (x y coordinates, cartecian plot, ETC) you might wanna do what i am currently doing--find graphing paper that is raised (usually APH will sell it) or check this link for more info
en.allexperts.com/q/Living-Disabilities-2086/raised-graph-paper.htm
Additionally, get a rubber board or carp board, pins (prefferaly the pushing ones) and rubber bands. you can then plot the points using the pins and make the lines by putting the rubber bands around them. If you can get a mechanics & shop person you can just tell them you need a board (wooden one) filled with pins, (vertically and horizontally ) and use either clay or someting to mark the origin (point 0), then instead of having to use pins to plot you can just draw the lines with the rubbers and you don't have to use the raised paper, a more resourceful way. If this reffers to other kinds of graphing let me know and i'll try to find some other stuff.
Yeah. I was talking about that kind of graphing. Thanks much. Those are helpful suggestions.
Sandra
louiano suggested mainly what I did in class when I had to graph. If you're going to be doing some more complicated things, there are a couple pieces of software out there (the accessible graphing calculator for one). Depends on how difficult your class is going to get, and your learning style I'd imagine.
Recently, someone else posed similar questions. You might look under the Accessible Graphing Calculators topic. I'm not saying this post has already been done. In fact, these are some different suggestions. I'm just pointing to another place around here.
What is the accessible graphing calculator you mentioned?
Thanks,
Lou
I don't honestly know much about it, but it's actually called accessible graphing calculator. IT's a piece of software that you put on your computer.
Can you tell me who publishes/sells it?
Lou
Whe I was at school, I used graphpaper with 2 cm large squares. The paper was a 10*10 grid with large raised squares and the raised lines were thick.
Hi,
All these ideas are good. The only problem with the use of pushpins and rubber bands is that you can only do straight-line graphs. I.e., no hyperbolae or speed graphing for calculus stuff; I did manage to get through my high school calc with pushpins and rubber bands, though. Instead, I recommend that you get some braille graph paper as mentioned above. However, instead of pushpins and rubber bands, get some wiki sticks or sticky wikis. These are nothing more than wax sticks. Since they are flexible and stick to paper, you can almost form any shape you want or need. Someone here recommended buying graphing calculator; I would highly recommend against it, though. Those things are usually very expensive, and, unless you are a math or science major or planning to use it for many years to come, I don't think that it's worth its price. Besides, if you are not already familiar with math, those calculators are hard to figure out how to use. Another idea is to get a Sewell board and some thin plastic paper to draw on them. Or, go down to your local hardware store and look for a roll of metal screen. Then, get some crayons and draw your graphs on a piece of paper. You'll be able to feel the outlines on the paper. Hope this helps!
Hmm. I never liked wicky sticks. they were too easy to bump out of place, lose, or dry out and be useless. But I do know some people lilike them alot. I don't remember if anyone mentioned this before, but if you use the push pins idea, and get the ones that stick up a ways, you can also use rubber bands. If you have 3 points, you can do at least some of the hyperboly.
What the poster #10 said about wicky sticks drying out is true. To overcome that, you can keep those sticks in a zip-lock bag with a damped cloth or paper towel. Also, if you press down firmly on those wicky sticks, they tend to stay on the paper.
I used wiki sticks for graphing lol. still do some.
For a good discussion of the accessible graphing calculator see
http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/agc.htm
The discussion comes from the Texas School for the blind and visually impaired. Their site should be a must for anyone attending college, or teaching the blind. Besides, it's my alma mater. *grin.
I've never used the accessible graphing calulator but it looks interesting.
Bob
Thanks, Bob. I get enough requests for this kind of thing at work, so I'll check that out. I know someone who told me about that website too, so I'l check it out.
Lou