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

ytrtttrttttttttt

Contents

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

GeoGebra Interface

TheGeoGebrabasicinterfaceisdividedintothreesections:
Inputbar,AlgebraView,andGraphicView.

ALGEBRAVIEW:Showandeditallthe

createdobjectsandfunctions.
GRAPHICVIEW:Showandconstruct
Justdoubleclickonequationtoeditit.
objectsandthegraphsoffunctions.

INPUTBAR:Createnewobjects,equationsandfunctions
4
6
E.g.Constructthegraphof
3
Type:"y=3x^2+4x+6"or"y=3*x^2+4*x+6"and

Constructiontools:

Menu:

Menus

Construction Tools

Polygons and Angles

Constructatriangleandmeasurethesumoftheinteriorangles

Letshidetheaxesbecausewedonotneedthemnow:
IntheViewmenu,clicktheAxesbutton.

GototheConstructionTools:selectthePolygontool

IntheGraphicViewarea:createatrianglebyselectingthreepoints
whichwillbetheverticesofthepolygon.(Remembertoclickthe
firstpointagaininordertoclosethepolygon)

Measuretheinteriorangles:
GototheConstructionTools&selecttheAngletool
Selectthethreeverticescounterclockwise(themeasuredangle
second)

Calculatethesumoftheinteriorangles

GototheInputbarandtype:

Becausethereisno , and onthekeyboardyouhavetoselect

themfromthedropdownlistatthebottom:

Thesumoftheangles(whichis180)willappearintheAlgebrawindow

Thequestionthatanymathematicianwillaskisifthisisaspecial
caseorisitalwaystrue?
GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow

Dragthevertices(A,BandC)ofthetriangle.GeoGebrawill
measuretheanglesimediatelyandalsoupdatethesumofthe
interiorangles.

Tosavetheconstruction:selecttheFiletabandclicktheSavebutton

Constructionofaregularpolygon

Hidetheaxes:selectView/ClickAxesbutton

SelecttheRegularPolygon(clickthesmallarrowinthebottom
righthandcorneroftheicontoseealltheoptions)

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

Measureaninteriorangle:selecttheAngletool/Selectthethree
verticescounterclockwise(themeasuredanglesecond).
Repeatthesteps1to5toconstructasquare,regularpolygon,etc.

Perpendicular and Parallel lines

Toconstructamedian,altitude,perdendicularbisector,andanglebisectorofatriangleyouneedto
knowthefollowing:

Constructthemidpointofalinesegment

Constructalinesegment
UsetheSegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

Constructthemidpointofthelinesegment:
UsetheMidpointorCentretool

Constructalineperpendiculartoagivenlineandthroughagivenpoint

Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

Constructapointonthelinesegment:
selecttheNewPointtoolandclickonthelinesegment

Constructaperpendicularline:selectthePerpendicularLinetool
andclickonthepointandtheline.

Constructalineparalleltoagivenlineandthroughagivenpoint:

Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

Constructanyotherpoint(notonthelinesegment)usingthe
NewPointtool.

Constructaparallelline:
selecttheParallelLinetoolandclickonthepointandtheline.

Constructtheperpendicularbisectorofalinesegment:

Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

Constructtheperpendicularbisectorofthelinesegment:
selectthePerpendicularBisectortoolandclickonthetwoend
pointsofthelinesegment.

Constructtheanglebisectorofanangle:

ConstructananglebyclickingtheSegmentbetweenTwoPoints
tooltwiceinsuccession.

Constructtheanglebisector:
selecttheAngleBisectortoolandclickonthethreepointsoftheangle.

Drawing graphs

YoucancreateandmodifyalgebraiccoordinatesandequationsbyusingtheInputBaratthebottom
oftheGeoGebrawindow.

Constructionofthegraphsof
a) 3

b) y

c)

d)

e)

2
3

6
4

6
3y

25

3
2.3

ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

Usethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:

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2.3

Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboardaftertypingeachequation.

10

YoucancreateandmodifytrigonometricequationsbyusingtheInputBaratthebottomofthe
GeoGebrawindow.Youcanuseradianmeasureordegrees.Thedefaultmodeisradianmeasure.

Constructionofatrigonometricgraphs(inradianmeasure)

ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

Usethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:
a)
sin

Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboard.

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Constructionofatrigonometricgraphsusingdegrees:
sin

Movethecursortothexaxis.Presstherightbuttononthemouse
(rightclick).

Thefollowingscreenwillappear:

Fromthedropdownlistselectdegrees:

Adjusttheminimumandmaximumxvalues:

Changethedistancebetweenthexvalues:

ClosethewindowandclickontheInputBaronthebottomofthe
GeoGebrawindow.

Usethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation:

Usethedropdownlistforthedegreesign:

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 Presstheenterkeyonthekeyboard.

Ifyouwanttoyoucanchangetheappearanceofthegraph:
Rightclickonthegraphandselectproperties.
ClicktheColourtabandselectanycolour.

Clickthestyletabandselectthelinethicknessandstyle.

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Constructionofatrigonometricgraphsusingdegrees:
2cos
1and
tan
30 indegrees.

Followsteps1to4intheprevioussection,buttype:

Toaddagridasyounoticedinthebackgroundoftheprevioussketchrightclickthexaxis
andmakethefollowingselections:

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Use sliders to transform graphs

Youcancreateandusesliderstochangethecoefficientsoftheequationsofgraphs.

Creatingsliders

SelecttheSlidertoolfromtheConstructionTools:

Clickwhereyouwanttolocatetheslider.Thefollowingwindowwill
appear:

ClicktheApplybuttonandasliderwillappear.

GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow

Usethearrowtodragthepointaontheslider.Youwillnoticethe
valueofpointaonthesliderwillchange.

Repeatsteps1to4tocreatemoreslidersbutrenamethemk,p
andq.

Usingslidersinequations

ClickontheInputBaronthebottomoftheGeoGebrawindow.

Usethekeyboardandthedropdownmenus(nexttotheInputBar)
totypetheequation(onseparatepages)andpressenter:

a. 2

15

a. sin k x

GototheConstructionToolsandselecttheArrow.Usethearrowto
dragthepointsonthesliders.Youwillnoticewhattheeffectofthe
changingcoefficientisonthegraph.

16

Transformation Geometry

YoucandoallthebasictransformationgeometryinGeoGebra.Youwillfindallthetransformation
functionsifyouclickthethirdiconfromtheleftontheToolbox:

Constructingareflectioninthexaxis
Example:DeterminethecoordinatesoftheimageofP(3;2)ifPisreflectedacrossthexaxis.

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

SelecttheReflectObjectinLineoption

Clickthepoint(3,2)andthexaxis.GeoGebrawillinfactgiveyou
instructionsneededontherighthandsideoftheToolbox.

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

Type:y=xintheInputbar

SelecttheReflectObjectinLineoption

Clickthepoint(3,2)andtheliney=x.

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

Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

Type:(0,0)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

SelecttheRotateObjectaroundPointbyAngleoption

ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

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

Type90andselectthedegreesignfromthedropdownmenu.
Selectanticlockwiseandpresstheenterkey.

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

Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

SelectVectorbetweentwopointsfromtheToolbox.

Constructanyvectorof4unitshorizontallytotheleft.

SelecttheTranslateObjectbyVectoroptionfromtheToolbox.

ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

Followtheinstructions:Selectthepoint(3,2),thenthevector.

Youwillnoticethatthevectordeteminesthetranslation.Youcan
changesthetranslationbydraggingthevector.

19

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

Type:(3,2)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

Type:(0,0)intheInputbarandpresstheenterkey

SelecttheRotateObjectaroundPointbyAngleoption

ThefollowingmessagewillappearnexttotheConstructionTools:

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

Type3andClickOK.

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User define tools (centroid)

Constructionofthecentroidofatriangle.

Constructatriangle

Constructthemidpointofeachofthesidesofthetriangle:
usetheMidpointorCentreTool

Constructthemedians:selecttheRaythroughTwoPoints.
Connectthevertexwiththemidpointoftheoppositeside.

Constructapointontheintersectionofthemedians.
UseIntersectTwoObjectstool

Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
GototheAlgebraView:clickallthedotsexceptforA,B,C
andthecentroidG.

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GeoGebraallowsyoutocreateyourownconstructiontoolsbasedonyourexistingconstructions.All
thesetoolscreatedbyyouaresavedinyourGeoGebrafile.

CreateyourownCentroidtoolforfutureuse.
UsetheArrowtoolandselectthepointsA,B,CandGby
dragging.SelecttheToolsmenuandCreateNewTool.

ClickNexttwiceandenterthenameforthenewtool.
Ifyouwanttoconstructacentroidinfuture,usethistool.

Toconstructacentroid:selecttheCentroidtooland
selectthethreeverticesofanytriangle.

IfyouopenGeoGebraagainyourcustomtoolswillnot
appearintheConstructionToolsunlessyousavethe
settings.SelecttheOptionmenuandclickSaveSettings.

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Kites and parallelograms

Constructionofaparallelogram
Aparallelogramisaquadrilateralwith2pairsofoppositesidesparallel.

Constructalinesegmentusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

Constructanyotherpoint(notonthelinesegment)usingthe
NewPointtool.

ConnectpointAandCusingthe
SegmentbetweenTwoPointstool

ConstructaparallellinebyselectingtheParallelLinetoolandclick
onthepointCandthelinesegmentAB.

ConstructanotherparallellinebyselectingtheParallelLinetool
andclickonthepointBandthelinesegmentAC.

Constructapointontheintersectionofthetwonewly
constructedparallellinesusingtheIntersectTwoObjectstool

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SelectthePolygonToolandselectthefourverticesofthe
parrallelogram.

Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
RightclickonthelineorobjectandselecteitherShow
ObjectorShowLabel.

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Constructionofakite
Akiteisaquadrilateralwithtwopairsofadjacentsidesequal.

Constructtwointersectingcirclesusingthe
CirclewithCentrethroughPointtool

Constructthetwopointsofintersectionusingthe
IntersectTwoObjectstool

SelectthePolygontoolandselectthefourverticesofthekite(the
centreofthetwocirclesandthetwointersectionsofthecircles).

Hidealltheunwantedinformationandconstructions.
RightclickonthelineorobjectandselecteitherShow
ObjectorShowlabel.

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Statistics

GeoGebrahasarangeofstatisticaluseswhichcanbeusedwithorwithouttheSpreadsheetView.It
hasanumberofstatisticalfunctionsandgraphingtools.
Findingthemean,medianandmode

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

Method1:UsetheInputbar:
TypethefollowingintheInputbar

GeoGebrawilllisttheresultsintheAlgebraWindow:
Mean=42.67
Median=42
Mode=26

Method2:UsetheInputbarandSpreadsheetView:
OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

Typethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

TypethefollowingintheInputbar

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Drawingahistogram

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

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

Theclassboundariesdeterminethewidthandpositionofeachbar
ofthehistogram.

GeoGebrawillconstructthefollowinghistogram:

Method2:UsetheInputbarandSpreadsheetView:
OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

Typethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

TypethefollowingintheInputbar

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

OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

Typethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

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

GeoGebrawillconstructthefollowingBoxandwhiskerplot:

bvalue

Changingthefirsttwovaluestoa=1andb=0.2willresultin:

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Findingthequartiles,standarddeviationandvariance

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

OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

Typethedatainthefirstcolumnofthespreadsheet.

Selectthedatabydraggingthemouse.

RightclickontheselectedblockandselectCreateList.

ThefollowinglistwillappearintheAlgebrawindow:

TypethefollowingintheInputbar:

ForcalculatingtheLowerQuartile(Q1):

ForcalculatingtheUpperQuartile(Q3):

ForcalculatingtheStandardDeviation(SD):

ForcalculatingtheVariance():

GeoGebrawilllisttheresultsinthesameorderasitwascreatedin
theAlgebraWindow:

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

Typethedatainthefirstandsecondcolumnsofthe
spreadsheet.

SelecttheBestFitLinefromtheConstructionTools

TheequationofthelinewillappearintheAlgebrawindow

30

Calculus

Constructatangentatapoint(mustbeabletodragthepointofcontact)toanycurveofafunctionf
3
Example:Constructatangenttothegraphof
2

TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

SelecttheNewPointfromtheConstructionToolsand

clickonthegraph.

SelecttheTangentsfromtheToolboxandclickonthepointand
onthegraph.

Dragthepointonthegraph

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Differentiationandconstructionofthecurveoff'(x)
Example:Findthederivateof

TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

or

GeoGebrawillcalculatethederivativeinthealgebraviewand
constructthecurveoff'(x).

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Findingtheapproximatingthetotalareaunderneathacurveonagraph(integral)usingtheRiemann
summethod.

Example:EvaluateanddemonstratetheRiemannsumfor
2
8
4
2takingthe
samplepointstobeunderthecurveand
3,
1,and
8.Sketchagraphofthefunction
andtheRiemannrectanglesandusetheGeoGebratodeterminetheseareas.
TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

Thiscommandwillyieldsthelowersumofthefunctionfonthe
interval[3,1]with8rectangles.

Asimilarcommandisavailablefortheuppersum.Ifyouwanttoincreasethenumberofrectangles
youcanalsocreateaslider.

33

Calculatingtheareaundercurve:Findingdefiniteintegrals

Example:Calculatetheareaunderthegraphof
2
3
between
3and
2.

TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

InthealgebraviewGeoGebrawillreturnsthedefiniteintegralof
thefunctionfintheinterval[3,1].

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

Examplefindtheareabetweenthecurvesof
3
2
6
5and
18
6
8betweentheirpointsofintersection.

TypetheequationintheInputBarandpressenter.

FromtheConstructionToolsselectIntersectTwoObjectsandclick
onthetwographs.

GeoGebrawillconstructsthepointsofintersectionAandB.

Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

GeoGebrawillconstructandmeasuretheareabetweenthecurvesoffandgbetweenthe
xvalueofpointAandthexvalueofpointB.

35

10

Matrices

1
YoucanuseGeoGebratodomatrixoperations.Forexample:calculate: 4
7

2
5
8

3
6
9

3
1
4

4
9
7

5
5
9

OpentheSpreadsheetView:
clicktheViewmenu/SpreadsheetView

Typethedatainthesameorderasthematrixinthe
spreadsheet.

Highlightthecellsanrightclick.SelectCreateMatrix.

AnewmatrixwillbecreatedintheAlgebraViewarea

Repeatsteps1to4andcreateanothermatrix.

Typethefollowingcommand(orselectitfromthedropdownlist)
intheInputBarandpressenter.

TheresultwillappearintheAlgebraViewundermatrix3:

Itisalsopossibletocalculatethedeterminant,ortoinvertortransposematricesusingthe
followingcommands:

36