Graphing Calculator App

Function Evaluator

Enter a mathematical function and a value for 'x' to evaluate the function at that point. This tool simulates a core aspect of a graphing calculator by calculating specific function outputs.

function calculateFunction() { var functionString = document.getElementById("functionString").value; var xValue = parseFloat(document.getElementById("xValue").value); var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("resultDisplay"); if (isNaN(xValue)) { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid number for x."; return; } if (!functionString.trim()) { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "Please enter a function."; return; } // Pre-process the function string for common math operations and syntax // Note: Using eval() can be risky with untrusted input. For this client-side calculator, // where the user inputs the function, it's used for simplicity. var processedFunction = functionString .replace(/(\d+)x/g, "$1*x") // e.g., 2x -> 2*x .replace(/x(\d+)/g, "x*$1") // e.g., x2 -> x*2 .replace(/\^/g, "**") // Use JavaScript's exponentiation operator .replace(/PI/g, "Math.PI") .replace(/E/g, "Math.E") .replace(/sin\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.sin($1)") .replace(/cos\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.cos($1)") .replace(/tan\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.tan($1)") .replace(/log\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.log($1)") // Natural logarithm (base e) .replace(/log10\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.log10($1)") // Base 10 logarithm .replace(/sqrt\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.sqrt($1)") .replace(/abs\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.abs($1)") .replace(/round\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.round($1)") .replace(/ceil\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.ceil($1)") .replace(/floor\((.*?)\)/g, "Math.floor($1)"); // Define x in the scope for eval var x = xValue; var result; try { result = eval(processedFunction); if (isNaN(result)) { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "Error: Invalid function or calculation resulted in NaN. Check your function syntax."; } else if (!isFinite(result)) { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "Error: Calculation resulted in Infinity or -Infinity. Check for division by zero or invalid operations."; } else { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "f(" + xValue + ") = " + result.toFixed(6); // Format to 6 decimal places } } catch (e) { resultDisplay.innerHTML = "Error evaluating function: " + e.message + ". Please check your function syntax."; } } .calculator-container { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 25px; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); max-width: 500px; margin: 30px auto; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; } .calculator-container h2 { text-align: center; color: #333; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 1.8em; } .calculator-container p { color: #555; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 25px; line-height: 1.6; } .calculator-input { margin-bottom: 18px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; } .calculator-input label { margin-bottom: 8px; color: #333; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1em; } .calculator-input input[type="text"], .calculator-input input[type="number"] { padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 6px; font-size: 1em; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; transition: border-color 0.3s ease; } .calculator-input input[type="text"]:focus, .calculator-input input[type="number"]:focus { border-color: #007bff; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25); } button { background-color: #007bff; color: white; padding: 12px 25px; border: none; border-radius: 6px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease; margin-top: 15px; } button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; transform: translateY(-2px); } button:active { transform: translateY(0); } .calculator-result { margin-top: 25px; padding: 15px; background-color: #e9f7ff; border: 1px solid #cce5ff; border-radius: 8px; font-size: 1.2em; color: #004085; text-align: center; font-weight: bold; word-wrap: break-word; }

Understanding Your Function Evaluator

A graphing calculator is an indispensable tool for students, engineers, and anyone working with mathematical functions. While a full graphing calculator app can display complex visual representations of functions, this simplified "Function Evaluator" focuses on a core capability: calculating the output of a function for a specific input value.

What Does This Calculator Do?

This tool allows you to input any mathematical function, such as f(x) = x^2 + 2x + 1, and then specify a numerical value for x. It will then compute and display the exact output of that function at your chosen x value. This is incredibly useful for checking specific points on a graph, verifying calculations, or understanding function behavior without needing to draw the entire graph.

How to Use the Function Evaluator

  1. Enter Your Function: In the "Function f(x) =" field, type your mathematical expression. Use x as your variable.
  2. Specify 'x' Value: In the "Value for x:" field, enter the number at which you want to evaluate your function.
  3. Evaluate: Click the "Evaluate Function" button. The result, f(x), will appear below.

Supported Operations and Syntax

This evaluator supports a wide range of standard mathematical operations and functions. Here's a guide to the syntax:

  • Basic Arithmetic: + (addition), - (subtraction), * (multiplication), / (division).
  • Exponents: Use ** for powers (e.g., x**2 for x squared, x**3 for x cubed). You can also use ^, which will be automatically converted to **.
  • Parentheses: Use () for grouping operations to control order of operations (e.g., (x + 1) * 2).
  • Implicit Multiplication: The calculator attempts to convert expressions like 2x to 2*x, but it's always safer to explicitly use * (e.g., 2*x).
  • Constants:
    • PI for the mathematical constant π (approx. 3.14159).
    • E for Euler's number e (approx. 2.71828).
  • Trigonometric Functions: (Angles in radians)
    • sin(x) for sine
    • cos(x) for cosine
    • tan(x) for tangent
  • Logarithmic Functions:
    • log(x) for natural logarithm (base e)
    • log10(x) for base 10 logarithm
  • Other Functions:
    • sqrt(x) for square root
    • abs(x) for absolute value
    • round(x) for rounding to the nearest integer
    • ceil(x) for rounding up to the nearest integer
    • floor(x) for rounding down to the nearest integer

Examples:

  • Simple Polynomial:
    • Function: x**2 + 3*x - 5
    • x Value: 2
    • Result: f(2) = 2**2 + 3*2 - 5 = 4 + 6 - 5 = 5
  • Trigonometric Function:
    • Function: sin(x) + cos(x)
    • x Value: PI/2 (approx. 1.5708)
    • Result: f(PI/2) = sin(PI/2) + cos(PI/2) = 1 + 0 = 1
  • Logarithmic Function:
    • Function: log(x) * 5
    • x Value: E (approx. 2.71828)
    • Result: f(E) = log(E) * 5 = 1 * 5 = 5

Limitations

This tool is a function evaluator, not a full graphing calculator. It will not display a visual graph of your function. Its purpose is to provide precise numerical outputs for specific input values, which is a fundamental step in understanding and analyzing functions.

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