The applet illuminates the relationship between graphs of functions and their derivatives. A graph of a randomly generated function f(x) is provided. The student attempts to sketch the graph of the derivative f '(x) by dragging and shaping a curve. The answer is evaluated for correctness at a click of a button providing instant feedback.
Click the screen shot below or this link to open the applet in a new window:
The new element in this applet is the way the user draws the derivative by dragging points on a curve. The user can smooth the graph by pressing the 'smooth' button to avoid ragged edges and sharp corners. The user's answer is evaluated by comparing it with the correct derivative in terms of sign and distance.
Download The Complete AS3 Code
The following zip package contains complete code and the custom AS3 classes behind the applet:
Custom AS3 Classes
The applet uses a large collection of custom AS3 classes developed by the Flash and Math team over the past few years. The newest classes are related to the drawing mechanism that consists of dragging and shaping a curve. The smoothing part is based on a new clever algorithm. The same hand-drawing technique was used in our recent Mandelbrot set rendition for creating a custom gradient selector: Mandelbrot Plotter - Generate and Export Beautiful Fractal Images in Flash.
Related Tutorials and Applets
- Mandelbrot Plotter - Generate and Export Beautiful Fractal Images in Flash Shows hand-drawing classes in action in a different context.
- Our Custom ActionScript 3 Classes for Mathematics in Action: Building a Derivative Plotter Shows GraphingBoard class in a different context and an applet when derivatives are drawn differently.
- A Derivative Plotter An applet that displays the tangent line to f(x) in addition to proving practice in drawing derivatives.
