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Need 3D graphing software (something like gnuplot)


TogoPogo

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Hello,

I am in search of a 3D graphing program which allows plotting of special functions like series. I have tried using gnuplot and it works perfectly fine, but I can't find out how to trace a certain x-y coordinate. Like I want to be able to input an x-y coordinate and have it respond by telling me the z coordinate on the function's surface.

Any suggestions?

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In my school we use the program "Wolfram Mathematica", it is very impressive but sadly isn't available for free to my knowledge.

If you need it for personal use, maybe you could still ask your school to subscribe to it?

For free software, I've heard that this may work: http://www.gnuplot.info/

Gnuplot is a freeware that graphs 3D functions (or so i was told), and I believe its output is in pdf format.

Hope this helps :)

You may download Gnuplot via this link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuplot/files/

And this is the main site for Wolfram Mathematica: http://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/

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Umm... this is probably also not the world's greatest 3D-plotter, but for my Maths IA I used Graphing Calculator 3D. I think there is a free download here: http://download.cnet.com/Graphing-Calculator-3D/3000-2053_4-10725117.html. It has pretty colours, but isn't that great for much else. You can't adjust the scale either.

But if you know the x and y co-ordinates, surely it's not really necessary to use the computer to find the z co-ordinate? You have to know the full equation of the plane to be able to get the computer to plot it, or at least that was my knowledge. But if you can plot the plane by only including lines and vectors, then obviously finding the full co-ordinates of any point is a really useful tool.

But yeah, that might entail paying, which is annoying, frankly. You can't be sure about the quality of the software. Also, to add onto above, I have heard/seen good things about Wolfram Mathematica and if your school has it that is definitely a way around it.

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