GeoGebra

in
10 lessons

Gerrit Stols

Acknowledgements

GeoGebraisdynamicmathematicsopensource(free)softwareforlearningandteaching
mathematicsinschools.ItwasdevelopedbyMarkusHohenwarterandaninternationalteamof
programmers.Theydidabrilliantjobandweasmathematicsteachersandlecturersmustsalute
them.GeoGebracombinesgeometry,algebra,statisticsandcalculus.Youcandownloaditfor
free.
DownloadGeoGebrafromhttp://www.geogebra.org

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Formoreinformationcontacttheauthor:
GerritStols
UniversityofPretoria
SouthAfrica
gerrit.stols@up.ac.za
+2712824157583

Lastmodified:October05,2009

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C Co on nt te en nt ts s

TheGeoGebraInterface 1
GeoGebramenu.. 2
Constructiontools....... 3

Lesson1:PolygonsandAngles 5
Lesson2:Perpendicularandparallellines. 7
Lesson3:Drawinggraphs... 10
Lesson4:Usingsliderstotransformgraphs.. 15
Lesson5:TransformationGeometry... 17
Lesson6:Userdefinetools(centroidconstruction)... 21
Lesson7:Kitesanparallelograms.... 23
Lesson8:Statistics... 26
Lesson9:Calculus..... 31
Lesson10:Matrices.... 36

1
GeoGebra Interface

TheGeoGebrabasicinterfaceisdividedintothreesections:
Inputbar,AlgebraView,andGraphicView.

Constructiontools:

Menu:
INPUTBAR:Createnewobjects,equationsandfunctions
E.g.Constructthegraphofy = Sx
2
+ 4x + 6
Type:"y=3x^2+4x+6"or"y=3*x^2+4*x+6"and
ALGEBRAVIEW:Showandeditallthe
createdobjectsandfunctions.
Justdoubleclickonequationtoeditit.
GRAPHICVIEW:Showandconstruct
objectsandthegraphsoffunctions.

2
M Me en nu us s

S
C Co on ns st tr ru uc ct ti io on n T To oo ol ls s
OOOOOOOOOOG

O O

O O

O O

O O

O O

4
O O

O O

O O

O O

O O

G G

S
Polygons and Angles

Constructatriangleandmeasurethesumoftheinteriorangles

CLetshidetheaxesbecausewedonotneedthemnow:
IntheViewmenu,clicktheAxesbutton.

CGototheConstructionTools:selectthePolygontool

CIntheGraphicViewarea:createatrianglebyselectingthreepoints
whichwillbetheverticesofthepolygon.(Remembertoclickthe
firstpointagaininordertoclosethepolygon)

CMeasuretheinteriorangles:
GototheConstructionTools&selecttheAngletool
Selectthethreeverticescounterclockwise(themeasuredangle
second)

C Calculatethesumoftheinteriorangles

GototheInputbarandtype:o + [ + y
Becausethereisnoo, [andyonthekeyboardyouhavetoselect
themfromthedropdownlistatthebottom:
Thesumoftheangles(whichis180)willappearintheAlgebrawindow

6
CThequestionthatanymathematicianwillaskisifthisisaspecial
caseorisitalwaystrue?
GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow
Dragthevertices(A,BandC)ofthetriangle.GeoGebrawill
measuretheanglesimediatelyandalsoupdatethesumofthe
interiorangles.

Tosavetheconstruction:selecttheFiletabandclicktheSavebutton

Constructionofaregularpolygon

CHidetheaxes:selectView/ClickAxesbutton

CSelecttheRegularPolygon(clickthesmallarrowinthebottom
righthandcorneroftheicontoseealltheoptions)

CCreateanequilateraltrianglebyselectingthetwobasepoints.A
windowwillopen:typethenumberofvertices(inthecaseofa
triangle3,square4,regularpentagon5)andhittheenterkey.

CMeasureaninteriorangle:selecttheAngletool/Selectthethree
verticescounterclockwise(themeasuredanglesecond).
CRepeatthesteps1to5toconstructasquare,regularpolygon,etc.

7
Perpendicular and Parallel lines

Toconstructamedian,altitude,perdendicularbisector,andanglebisectorofatriangleyouneedto
knowthefollowing:

Constructthemidpointofalinesegment

C Constructalinesegment
UsetheSegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

CConstructthemidpointofthelinesegment:
UsetheMidpointorCentretool

Constructalineperpendiculartoagivenlineandthroughagivenpoint

C Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

CConstructapointonthelinesegment:
selecttheNewPointtoolandclickonthelinesegment

C Constructaperpendicularline:selectthePerpendicularLinetool
andclickonthepointandtheline.

2

8
Constructalineparalleltoagivenlineandthroughagivenpoint:

C Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

CConstructanyotherpoint(notonthelinesegment)usingthe
NewPointtool.

C Constructaparallelline:
selecttheParallelLinetoolandclickonthepointandtheline.

Constructtheperpendicularbisectorofalinesegment:

C Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

CConstructtheperpendicularbisectorofthelinesegment:
selectthePerpendicularBisectortoolandclickonthetwoend
pointsofthelinesegment.

9
Constructtheanglebisectorofanangle:

C ConstructananglebyclickingtheSegmentbetweenTwoPoints
tooltwiceinsuccession.

CConstructtheanglebisector:
selecttheAngleBisectortoolandclickonthethreepointsoftheangle.

1u
Drawing graphs

YoucancreateandmodifyalgebraiccoordinatesandequationsbyusingtheInputBaratthebottom
oftheGeoGebrawindow.

Constructionofthegraphsof
a) Sx + 2y = 6
b) y = Sx
2
- 4x - 6
c) x
2
+Sx -2y
2
- Sy = 2S
d) y =
3
x-2
- S
e) y = 2.S
x+2
-1

C ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

CUsethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:

Sx + 2y = 6

y = Sx
2
- 4x - 6

x
2
+ Sx - 2y
2
- Sy = 2S

y =
3
x-2
-S

y = 2.S
x+2
- 1

C Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboardaftertypingeachequation.

11
YoucancreateandmodifytrigonometricequationsbyusingtheInputBaratthebottomofthe
GeoGebrawindow.Youcanuseradianmeasureordegrees.Thedefaultmodeisradianmeasure.

Constructionofatrigonometricgraphs(inradianmeasure)

C ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

CUsethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:
a) y = sinx

C Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboard.

12
Constructionofatrigonometricgraphsusingdegrees:y = sin x

C Movethecursortothexaxis.Presstherightbuttononthemouse
(rightclick).

C Thefollowingscreenwillappear:

Fromthedropdownlistselectdegrees:

Adjusttheminimumandmaximumxvalues:


Changethedistancebetweenthexvalues:

C ClosethewindowandclickontheInputBaronthebottomofthe
GeoGebrawindow.

CUsethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:

Usethedropdownlistforthedegreesign:

1S
C Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboard.

Ifyouwanttoyoucanchangetheappearanceofthegraph:
Rightclickonthegraphandselectproperties.
ClicktheColourtabandselectanycolour.

Clickthestyletabandselectthelinethicknessandstyle.

14
Constructionofatrigonometricgraphsusingdegrees:
(x) = 2cos x + 1and g(x) = -tan (x -Su)indegrees.

Followsteps1to4intheprevioussection,buttype:

Toaddagridasyounoticedinthebackgroundoftheprevioussketchrightclickthexaxis
andmakethefollowingselections:

1S
Use sliders to transform graphs

Youcancreateandusesliderstochangethecoefficientsoftheequationsofgraphs.

Creatingsliders

C SelecttheSlidertoolfromtheConstructionTools:

C Clickwhereyouwanttolocatetheslider.Thefollowingwindowwill
appear:

C ClicktheApplybuttonandasliderwillappear.

C GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow
Usethearrowtodragthepointaontheslider.Youwillnoticethe
valueofpointaonthesliderwillchange.

C Repeatsteps1to4tocreatemoreslidersbutrenamethemk,p
andq.

Usingslidersinequations

ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

CUsethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation(onseparatepages)andpressenter:

y = o(x + p)
2
+ q:

y = a. 2
x+p
+ q

y =
u
x+p
+ q
4

16

y = a. sin k(x + p) +q

GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow.Usethearrowto
dragthepointsonthesliders.Youwillnoticewhattheeffectofthe
changingcoefficientisonthegraph.

17
Transformation Geometry

YoucandoallthebasictransformationgeometryinGeoGebra.Youwillfindallthetransformation
functionsifyouclickthethirdiconfromtheleftontheToolbox:

Constructingareflectioninthexaxis
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPisreflectedacrossthexaxis.

C SelectView/Gridinordertoshowthegrid.
C Type:(3,2)intheInputbar

C SelecttheReflectObjectinLineoption

C Clickthepoint(3,2)andthexaxis.GeoGebrawillinfactgiveyou
instructionsneededontherighthandsideoftheToolbox.

18
Constructingareflectionofapointintheliney=x
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPisreflectedacrosstheliney=x.
C Type:(3,2)intheInputbar

C Type:y=xintheInputbar

C SelecttheReflectObjectinLineoption

C Clickthepoint(3,2)andtheliney=x.

Rotationofapoint
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPhasbeenrotatedabouttheorigin
through90inananticlockwisedirection.

C Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

C Type:(0,0)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

C SelecttheRotateObjectaroundPointbyAngleoption

C ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

Followtheinstructions:Selectthepoint(3,2),thenthecentre
(0,0).Thefollowingscreenwillappear:

C Type90andselectthedegreesignfromthedropdownmenu.
Selectanticlockwiseandpresstheenterkey.

19
Translationofapoint
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPhasbeentranslated4units
horizontallytotheleft.

C Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

C SelectVectorbetweentwopointsfromtheToolbox.

Constructanyvectorof4unitshorizontallytotheleft.

C SelecttheTranslateObjectbyVectoroptionfromtheToolbox.

C ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

Followtheinstructions:Selectthepoint(3,2),thenthevector.

C Youwillnoticethatthevectordeteminesthetranslation.Youcan
changesthetranslationbydraggingthevector.

2u
Enlargementofapoint
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPhasbeenenlargedbyafactor3with
theoriginascentreofenlargement.

C Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

C Type:(0,0)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

C SelecttheRotateObjectaroundPointbyAngleoption

C ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

Followtheinstructions:Selectthepoint(3,2),thenthecentre
(0,0).Thefollowingscreenwillappear:

C Type3andClickOK.

21
User define tools (centroid)

Constructionofthecentroidofatriangle.

CConstructatriangle

CConstructthemidpointofeachofthesidesofthetriangle:
usetheMidpointorCentreTool

CConstructthemedians:selecttheRaythroughTwoPoints.
Connectthevertexwiththemidpointoftheoppositeside.

CConstructapointontheintersectionofthemedians.
UseIntersectTwoObjectstool

C Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
GototheAlgebraView:clickallthedotsexceptforA,B,C
andthecentroidG.

22

GeoGebraallowsyoutocreateyourownconstructiontoolsbasedonyourexistingconstructions.All
thesetoolscreatedbyyouaresavedinyourGeoGebrafile.

CreateyourownCentroidtoolforfutureuse.
UsetheArrowtoolandselectthepointsA,B,CandGby
dragging.SelecttheToolsmenuandCreateNewTool.

ClickNexttwiceandenterthenameforthenewtool.
Ifyouwanttoconstructacentroidinfuture,usethistool.

Toconstructacentroid:selecttheCentroidtooland
selectthethreeverticesofanytriangle.
C IfyouopenGeoGebraagainyourcustomtoolswillnot
appearintheConstructionToolsunlessyousavethe
settings.SelecttheOptionmenuandclickSaveSettings.

2S
Kites and parallelograms

Constructionofaparallelogram
Aparallelogramisaquadrilateralwith2pairsofoppositesidesparallel.

C Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

CConstructanyotherpoint(notonthelinesegment)usingthe
NewPointtool.

C ConnectpointAandCusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

C ConstructaparallellinebyselectingtheParallelLinetoolandclick
onthepointCandthelinesegmentAB.

C ConstructanotherparallellinebyselectingtheParallelLinetool
andclickonthepointBandthelinesegmentAC.

Constructapointontheintersectionofthetwonewly
constructedparallellinesusingtheIntersectTwoObjectstool

24
CSelectthePolygonToolandselectthefourverticesofthe
parrallelogram.

Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
RightclickonthelineorobjectandselecteitherShow
ObjectorShowLabel.

2S

Constructionofakite
Akiteisaquadrilateralwithtwopairsofadjacentsidesequal.

C Constructtwointersectingcirclesusingthe
CirclewithCentrethroughPointtool

CConstructthetwopointsofintersectionusingthe
IntersectTwoObjectstool

C SelectthePolygontoolandselectthefourverticesofthekite(the
centreofthetwocirclesandthetwointersectionsofthecircles).

C Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
RightclickonthelineorobjectandselecteitherShow
ObjectorShowlabel.

26
Statistics

GeoGebrahasarangeofstatisticaluseswhichcanbeusedwithorwithouttheSpreadsheetView.It
hasanumberofstatisticalfunctionsandgraphingtools.
Findingthemean,medianandmode

Themarksforamathtest,outof60,aregivenbelow.UseGeoGebratofindthemean,medianand
mode:483842544034584452362646602026

Method1:UsetheInputbar:
C TypethefollowingintheInputbar

C GeoGebrawilllisttheresultsintheAlgebraWindow:
Mean=42.67
Median=42
Mode=26

Method2:UsetheInputbarandSpreadsheetView:
C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

C Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

C RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

C TypethefollowingintheInputbar

27

Drawingahistogram

Example:Themarksforamathtest,outof60,aregivenbelow.UseGeoGebratodrawahistogram
forthemarks:483842544034584452362646602026

Method1:UsetheInputbar:
C TypethefollowingintheInputbartocreatesahistogramusingthe
rawdata:Histogram[{ListofClassBoundaries},{ListofRawData}]

Theclassboundariesdeterminethewidthandpositionofeachbar
ofthehistogram.

C GeoGebrawillconstructthefollowinghistogram:

Method2:UsetheInputbarandSpreadsheetView:
C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

C Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

C RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

C TypethefollowingintheInputbar

28
Drawingaboxandwhiskerdiagram
Example:Themarksforamathtest,outof60,aregivenbelow.UseGeoGebratodrawaboxand
whiskerdiagramforthemarks:483842544034584452362646602026

C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

C Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

C RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

C TypethefollowingintheInputbartocreatesaBoxandwhisker
plot:BoxPlot[a,b,L_1]where
aistheverticalpositiononthecoordinatesystem
bistherelativeheightoftheboxandwhiskerdiagram

GeoGebrawillconstructthefollowingBoxandwhiskerplot:

C Changingthefirsttwovaluestoa=1andb=0.2willresultin:

bvalue
a

29
Findingthequartiles,standarddeviationandvariance

Themarksforamathtest,outof60,aregivenbelow.UseGeoGebratofindthequartiles,standard
deviationandvariance:483842544034584452362646602026

C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

C Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

C RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

C TypethefollowingintheInputbar:

ForcalculatingtheLowerQuartile(Q1):

ForcalculatingtheUpperQuartile(Q3):

ForcalculatingtheStandardDeviation(SD):

ForcalculatingtheVariance():

GeoGebrawilllisttheresultsinthesameorderasitwascreatedin
theAlgebraWindow:

Su
DrawingScatterplotsandlinesofbestfit
Example:ThetablebelowrepresentsthenumberofnewbusinessesthatwerestartedinPretoria
between2003and2008.
Year Numberofbusinesses
2002 754
2003 881
2004 943
2005 1083
2006 1182
2007 1304
2008 1402
Sketchascatterplotwhichrepresentstheinformationaboveanddrawthelineofbestfit.
C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthefirstandsecondcolumnsofthe
spreadsheet.

C SelecttheBestFitLinefromtheConstructionTools

C TheequationofthelinewillappearintheAlgebrawindow

S1
Calculus

Constructatangentatapoint(mustbeabletodragthepointofcontact)toanycurveofafunctionf
Example:Constructatangenttothegraphof(x) = 2x
3
+ Sx - 2

C TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

CSelecttheNewPointfromtheConstructionToolsand
clickonthegraph.

CSelecttheTangentsfromtheToolboxandclickonthepointand
onthegraph.

C Dragthepointonthegraph

S2


Differentiationandconstructionofthecurveoff'(x)

Example:Findthederivateof(x) = Sx
3
+ 2x
2
-6x +S
C TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

C Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

or

GeoGebrawillcalculatethederivativeinthealgebraviewand
constructthecurveoff'(x).

SS
Findingtheapproximatingthetotalareaunderneathacurveonagraph(integral)usingtheRiemann
summethod.

Example:EvaluateanddemonstratetheRiemannsumfor(x) = 2x
3
+ 8x
2
+ 4x - 2takingthe
samplepointstobeunderthecurveando = -S,b = -1,andn = 8.Sketchagraphofthefunction
andtheRiemannrectanglesandusetheGeoGebratodeterminetheseareas.
C TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

C Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

Thiscommandwillyieldsthelowersumofthefunctionfonthe
interval[3,1]with8rectangles.

Asimilarcommandisavailablefortheuppersum.Ifyouwanttoincreasethenumberofrectangles
youcanalsocreateaslider.

S4

Calculatingtheareaundercurve:Findingdefiniteintegrals

Example:Calculatetheareaunderthegraphof(x) = 2x
3
+ Sx - 2
betweenx = -Sandx = -2.

C TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

C Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

C InthealgebraviewGeoGebrawillreturnsthedefiniteintegralof
thefunctionfintheinterval[3,1].

SS

Youcanalsocalculatetheareabetweentwocurves

Thefollowingcommandwillyieldsthedefiniteintegralofthedifferencef(x)g(x)
intheinterval[a,b]:Integral[f,g,a,b]

Examplefindtheareabetweenthecurvesof(x) = Sx
3
+2x
2
- 6x + Sand
g(x) = 18x
2
-6x -8betweentheirpointsofintersection.

C TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

C FromtheConstructionToolsselectIntersectTwoObjectsandclick
onthetwographs.

GeoGebrawillconstructsthepointsofintersectionAandB.

C Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

GeoGebrawillconstructandmeasuretheareabetweenthecurvesoffandgbetweenthe
xvalueofpointAandthexvalueofpointB.

S6
Matrices

YoucanuseGeoGebratodomatrixoperations.Forexample:calculate:_
1 2 S
4 S 6
7 8 9
_ + _
S 4 S
1 9 S
4 7 9
_
C OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

CTypethedatainthesameorderasthematrixinthe
spreadsheet.

C Highlightthecellsanrightclick.SelectCreateMatrix.

AnewmatrixwillbecreatedintheAlgebraViewarea

CRepeatsteps1to4andcreateanothermatrix.

C Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

TheresultwillappearintheAlgebraViewundermatrix3:

Itisalsopossibletocalculatethedeterminant,ortoinvertortransposematricesusingthe
followingcommands:

10