<chapter id="introduction"> <title >Introduction</title> <para >&kmplot; is a mathematical function plotter for the &kde; Desktop. It has a powerful built-in parser. You can plot different functions simultaneously and combine them to build new functions.</para> <screenshot> <screeninfo >Examples</screeninfo> <mediaobject> <imageobject> <imagedata fileref="threeplots.png" format="PNG"/> </imageobject> <textobject> <phrase >Examples</phrase> </textobject> </mediaobject> </screenshot> <para >&kmplot; supports parametric functions and functions in polar coordinates. Several grid modes are supported. Plots may be printed with high precision in the correct scale.</para> <para >&kmplot; also provides some numerical an visual features like: <itemizedlist > <listitem ><para >Filling and calculating the area between the plot and the first axis</para > </listitem > <listitem ><para >Finding maximum and minimum values</para > </listitem > <listitem ><para >Changing function parameters dynamically</para > </listitem > <listitem ><para >Plotting derivatives and integral functions.</para > </listitem > </itemizedlist > These features help in learning the relationship between mathematical functions and their graphical representation in a coordinate system.</para> </chapter> <!-- Local Variables: mode: sgml sgml-minimize-attributes:nil sgml-general-insert-case:lower sgml-indent-step:0 sgml-indent-data:nil sgml-parent-document:("index.docbook" "BOOK" "CHAPTER") End: -->