# Graphing Share Ware?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852 "2006-01-07T04:12:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/1 "2006-01-07T04:12:37Z")

</div>

Are there any graphing programs out there that might be freeware or shareware? I don’t need anything real fancy. I’d just like to see what some functions look like - outside of buying a graphing calculator, that is.

Thanks,

- Jinx

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/2 "2006-01-07T05:00:10Z")

</div>

Google freeware graphing. First result is [http://www.mathgv.com/](http://www.mathgv.com/) and it looks like it would be at least good enough for your purposes, probably.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/3 "2006-01-07T05:08:55Z")

</div>

Depending on how long you need it for you might also consider trial versions. Most popular graphics and stats packages have 30 day downloadable trial verisons. A good selection availble [here](http://www.scientificweb.com/demo.html).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/4 "2006-01-07T08:57:02Z")

</div>

GraphCalc is good for exactly what you want: looking at functions and making simple 3D plots. And it’s free: [here](http://www.graphcalc.com/index.shtml)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/5 "2006-01-07T13:30:56Z")

</div>

A good place to look is [www.downloads.com](http://www.downloads.com).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/6 "2006-01-07T14:01:35Z")

</div>

I’d suggest [gnuplot](http://www.gnuplot.info/), which is a standard tool for academics. Fairly easy to use, totally freeware. Also, I think [scilab](http://www.scilab.org/) is better for 3-D plotting, but I found it fairly difficult to use (mostly due to unfamiliarity).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/7 "2006-01-07T16:13:58Z")

</div>

See [Left your TI-83 calculator at school? Here’s a replacement!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339130)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/8 "2006-01-07T17:03:19Z")

</div>

I use graphmatica. It seems to work pretty well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graphing-share-ware/338852/9 "2006-01-07T17:23:30Z")

</div>

If you have Windows XP and just want to see basic functions download Microsoft’s PowerToys power calculator. It’s a lot of fun to play with and free. You can download it [from this page](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx).