Help for Ian's Polynomial Plotting Javascript Demo Page
Version 4.0

What does this program do?
This program displays the polynomial graph for a polynomial specified by the power of x coefficents in the coefficient form.
You can change the number of coefficients. The maximum is currently set to 40.

You can change the values in the coefficient form, then click Plot Data to display it.

You can change the x and y scale of the plot by using the settings popup dialogue box,
which you can get by clicking settings.
You can also change the origin (x and y) position, and the grid spacing.
(See lower for more about the settings popup dialogue box.)

You can generate the coefficients for a polynomial appoximation to the following functions:-
1/(x-a) (inverse x), sqare root(x-a), and ex.
Click on the relevant button to open the coefficients box, then select your value of a, then click
Calculate the Coefficients series, which will display the coefficients and save them to
the coefficient values. The click close.
Note the value of a is ignored for the ex option, and should be less than -3, or greater than 3 for the 1/(x-a) option
to work well.

The selected mathematical function will now be displayed (in red), and it's polynomial approximation (in blue).

Using the buttons above the graph (Remove top power of x, Add top power of x) you can
add or remove the display of the highest displayed power of x, to see how
the curve builds up from the power of x polynomial components.

The Settings Popup Dialogue Box
Get to this by clicking on the settings button on the main page.

What all the buttons/fields do:-

Buttons/fields in the settings box are:-

Close, and Cancel. These close the dialogue box. They do not save the data, but it may have already been saved
by Save Settings.
Grid Spacing x,
Grid Spacing y

These set the value of the grid size in the plotting window.

x Scale,
y Scale

This size in program units (the mathematical units the maths uses) of the width and height of the plotting window.
Changing this changes the scale of the graph in the x and y directions.

x Origin,
y Origin

 The position in program units (the mathematical units the maths uses) of the origin of the plotting grid, relative to the center of the plotting window.
Save Settings Saves the values in the data fields.
Display Plotting Vars This is a test buton that displays the internal values that control how the program plots the curves.

Buttons/data forms in the main Page are:

Number of powers of x: Type the number of powers of x you require in this box, then click go.
Show/Hide Polynomial Coefficient Form Shows or hides the Power of X Coefficient Data Entry Form.
Settings This opens the Settings Popup Dialogue Box.
Do Square Root Approximation This opens the calc coefficients box to do a square root (x-a) approximation.
Do 1/(x-a) Approximation This opens the calc coefficients box to do a 1/(x-a) (inverse x) approximation.
Do ex Approximation This opens the calc coefficients box to do an ex approximation.

Power of X Coefficient Data Entry Form
You can show or hide this by the using theShow/Hide Polynomial Coefficient Form button, (See above.)

Entry Name Does nothing, Related to loading and saving data, which is not implemented.
Data Set Title Does nothing, Related to loading and saving data, which is not implemented.
Power of X Coeff Value
These form fields allow you to view and change the coefficient values..
Plot Data Will Plot the data that is shown.

Buttons in the plotting window

Remove top power of x

 Removes the highest displayed power of x from the calculated curve.If 0 powers are displayed, will do nothing.
Add top power of x Adds the next power of x to the calculated curve.If all powers are currently displayed, will do nothing.
These buttons allow you to see how the powers of x build up the polynomial curve, and approximate to the
mathematical function if displayed.
  .


Generate Coefficient Series Box

This is displayed by any of the mathematical function buttons. (see above.)

Close

 Closes the Dialogue Box
Value of a Sets the value of a to calculate the ooefficients and display the functions.

It should be -ve for the square root function, have an absolute value > 3 for the inverse x function,
and is ignored by the exponential function.
Calculate the Coeffs Series .This calculates the polynomial coefficient series for the selected mathematical function, displays the values, and saves them
  .