POLAR GRAPHS
CREATED WITH GEOMETER’S SKETCHPAD
Getting Started with Geometer’s SketchPad
Double click the hard drive icon located at the top right of the computer screen.
Open SketchPad (GSP5) located in the Applications folder.
Once you have opened Geometer’s SketchPad do the following:
1. Under the heading Graph
 select Grid Form
 select Polar Grid
2. Under the heading Graph
 select New Function or Plot New Function
 type in polar function
 select OK
3. Under the heading Graph
 select Plot Function
 a trigonometric function box may appear—select OK
4. Under the heading Display
 select line width—thick
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to plot more functions.
6. To print your polar graph: Select Print Preview under the File heading. Select scale to
page. Print to desired printer. **
Helpful Hints

The red dot located at the origin shifts the polar plane horizontally and/or vertically.

The red dot to the right of the origin allows you to zoom in/out on the polar plane.

If you want to alter a polar function, double click the desired function and the Edit
Function box will appear. Edit as desired.

You can find the square root function in the Edit Function box under the heading
Functions.

You can plot a line by changing the form of the equation—go to the Edit Function box
and select   f r  under the heading Equations.


You can rotate your polar graph by adding/subtracting an angle of rotation:   45o

You may restrict the domain of your graph by grabbing the arrows on the graph or

clicking on your graph and the control button…select properties and then plot.

When you are ready to print your polar graph, you may want to “hide” the polar
functions located on the screen. Highlight the items to be “hidden” and select Hide
Function under the heading Display.

You can color code your graphs and equations by selecting color under the heading File.
This will help when you need to highlight corresponding graph and equation.
Instructions to Print Your Polar Equations on the Cartesian Plane

Open a New Sketch located under File

Under the heading Graph
o select Grid Form
o select Trigonometric Axis
o select YES

Under the heading Graph
o select New Function or Plot New Function
o type in polar function (r,ø) = (x, y)
o select OK

After the two functions are graphed
o Select BOTH graphs
o Under the heading Construct
• Select Intersections
o Under the heading Measure
•

Select coordinates
Select Print Preview under the File heading. Select scale to page