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THE DEERING MATH NAVIGATION MENU SYSTEM

The Deering Math navigation menu system is javascript encoded. This JS menu system will NOT cause any problems with your computer. If you DON'T see the menu system BELOW  then your browser has not been javascript enabled; if your browser is not javascript enabled read the following directions. DIRECTIONS HERE

 

THE FOUNDATION OF THE DERIVATIVE
Slopes of Secant Lines About a Fixed Point
and
The Invention of the Tangent Line at That Fixed Point

by Mr. L.

THANKS TO THE FOLKS AT AUTOGRAPH, DOUG, SIMON, MARK AND SEBASTIAN, FOR ALLOWING ME
TO ALPHA/BETA TEST THE CODE MAKING MY INTERACTIVE MODULE POSSIBLE.

PLEAD READ THE FOLLOWING WELL

YOU MUST USE THE FIREFOX BROWSER OR INTERNET EXPLORER
BROWSER FOR THIS MODULE TO WORK - ALLOW YOUR BROWSER
TO AUTOMATICALLY INSTALL THE AUTOGRAPH PLUGIN.

MATH IDEAS THAT A STUDENT MUST UNDERSTAND

PRIN 1   pointslope
 
secantline   PRIN2

 

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THE AUTOGRAPH MODULE
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HOW TO USE THE AUTOGRAPH MODULE
DESIGNED FOR A TEACHER TO INTRODUCE
THE DERIVATIVE TO HIS OR HER STUDENTS

At the bottom of this page is an interactive module designed in Autograph. This module will help you understand the concept of the derivative which is one of two of the foundational concepts in Calculus. Below are some explanations for using the interactive module.

The Look of The Module Window: You will work with the Left Point, Point on Tangent Line, the Right Point, the Left Secant Line, the Right Secant Line, the Tangent Line and you will be able to observe the changing equations of the Secant Lines and Tangent Line as points are moved.

full module

The Tool Option Box With No Point Selected: ani_con_no_sel The Tool Option Box is in the lower left hand corner of the module. Please compare this with the Tool Option Box with point selected - see below.

The Tool Option Box With Point Selected: ancontNotice the yellow lightning bolt.


How to Use Animation Controller: Parts a, b and c

a) Select one of the three points by left clicking the mouse and holding the left clicker of the mouse down and then dragging your mouse around one of the points. See the points that you will choose below.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that when you left click and drag about the point you DO NOT select too close to the point or the dotted selection rectangle will not appear and enable you to select the point. See the points below that you will choose.

points

b) The lightning bolt on the Tool Option Box will light up: ancont

c) With point selected and lightning bolt highlighted click with mouse on lightning bolt. The Animation Controller,
ancont , will come up on your screen.

...If you click left click with your mouse the point you selected will move to the left by increments of the value in the Step Field which you can set by typing in any step you want.

...If you click left click with your mouse, the point you selected will move to the right by increments of the value in the Step Field which you can set by typing in any step you want.

...If you enter a number into the Position Field the selected point will move to that x value.

...If you enter a number into the Step Field the selected point will move to the next x value by that step. If x initially was 1 and the step .1 the next x value moved to would be 1.1.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ BELOW VERY WELL!!!!

Once you are finished controlling a SPECIFIC POINT and want to control another point, close down the current animator controller, choose the new point and then restart the animation controller by clicking the lightning bolt.

- CHANGING THE FUNCTION: You can change the function by DOUBLE LEFT CLICKING ON THE GRAPH.

NOW GO AHEAD AND PLAY!

THE AUTOGRAPH MODULE IS BELOW
SORRY BUT THIS WILL ONLY WORK ON A PC BASED SYSTEM