IGCSE Graphics Calculator (GDC)

Ti-84 Plus
GDC will be reset before entering the Exam Centre

To reset: Press 2nd + 7 1 2

Next steps:
- To change from Radian to Degree
- Press MODE and use arrows
- Press Enter

- Turn Diagnostics on
- Press 2nd 0 x-1 and scroll down to
DiagnosticOn Enter Enter
 Scatter Plot (LinReg)
- Press STAT Enter
- Fill x-values in L1 and y-values in L2
- Press 2nd Y= (STAT PLOT) Enter Enter
(to turn on STAT plot)
- Press Zoom 9 (ZoomStat) to draw scatter diagram

- To find the line of best fit (function and correlation)

- Press STAT Scroll to right CALC 4 Enter 5 times

When done with Scatter Plot Question, turn off STAT PLOT to
keep screen clean when doing other graph questions. You
dont want a screen like this:

OR
 Sketch a graph
Press Y=
Add as many graphs as necessary into Y1, Y2
Example: Photo top right:
press 3 (X,T,,n) ^ 3 > (right arrow) 5 (X,T,,n) ^ 2 > + 2
Press Graph

Hint: When inserting negative values,

press (-) on bottom of calculator
Use (minus) when subtracting numbers

Look at the
difference between
the negative and
minus signs
(length)
 Sketch a Graph
(Minima/Maxima)
Sketch y = 3x2 + 2x 1
Find local Minima or Maxima (depending on shape of graph)
Given function has a Minimum point

Press 2nd Trace (Calc) 3 (minimum) move cursor to left of

min.point Enter
then move cursor right of min.point Enter Enter
Coordinate of min.point/turning point (-0.33, -1.33)

Zoom in if too difficult to place cursor left and right of

min.point:
Press Zoom 2 (Zoom in) Enter or
Press Zoom 1 (ZBox) to zoom into a specific area/region

Press 2nd Graph (Table values will be displayed)

e.g. x = 0; y = -1 (in other words y-intercept = -1)
 Sketch a graph (finding
Zeros)
To find the zero values is to find the x-values when y = 0 (in
other words when the graph intersects the x-axis): same as to
solve x when given a quadratic function either by factorising or
using the quadratic formula.
But we can apply it to any graph using the GDC
Press 2nd Trace 2 (zero) Move the cursor to the left of the left
arm press enter then move to the right of the left arm press
enter
Two arrows will indicate the boundaries of this intersection press
enter again The x-value is
displayed
when y=0

Repeat these steps for the second arm (or third arm when
dealing with Cubic graphs)
 Intersection point of two
graphs
y = 3x+2 and y = 2x2 3x + 1

Two Options:
Either draw 2 graphs or combine them

Option 1
Enter functions into Y1 and Y2
Press Graph 2nd Trace 5 (intersect) check that cursor is on
one graph then press Enter, check then that cursor is on
other graph then press Enter
Press Enter 3rd time to find point of intersection
x-value = -0.71; y-value = 4.13
 Intersection point of two graphs
(Continue)
Option 2
Set 2 functions equal: 3x+2 = 2x2 3x + 1
Bring the function on right-side over to left-side (remember sign
changes)
3x+2 2x2 + 3x 1 = 0
Type into Y1 press Graph

Press 2nd Trace 2 Place cursor left of intersection with X-axis

press Enter
then move cursor to right of intersection with X-axis, press Enter
and Enter again
The x-value is then displayed (when y = 0)
x = -0.71
 More Stats
(Mean, Median, Quartiles)
E.g. Matthew and Bobby both play for the YCIS Cricket Team.
The number of runs scored by each player over
a 12-match period were:

Matthew: 20, 14, 0, 28, 38, 25, 26, 17, 24, 24, 6, 3
Bobby: 18, 20, 22, 2, 18, 31, 7, 15, 17, 16, 22, 29

a.) Calculate the mean and median number of runs for both of them.
b.) Calculate the range and interquartile range for both of them.

Insert Matthews values into L1 and Bobbys into L2

Press Stat > Enter (1-Var Stats)
To find Matthews data use L1 and change to L2 for Bobbys data
Press Enter three times

Answers (Matthew): a.) mean = 18.75; median = 22

b.) range = Max Min = 38; IQR = Q3 Q1 = 15.5
 Trigonometry Graphs
Press Y=
Type function into Y1
Press Graph

Press Zoom 7 (ZTrig)

Adjust the Window if needed (Press Window and change the

values of X and or Y)
 Function Exam-style
Question
- Type the function into Y1
- Important to use brackets
correctly!!!
- Y1 = 2x/((x 3)(x + 1))
- Press Graph
- Press Window to adjust given X
and Y Minimum and Maximum
values
- All questions should now be
answered according to these
restrictions.
- Press Graph again to see change

Draw Asymptotes before

Horizontal asymptote can be found by looking at the
graph or looking at the tendency in the Table values
sketching the graph
(Vertical asymptotes can be found
by setting the denominator = 0 or
using the Table values when y =
error
 Function Exam-style Question
(continue)
d.) Graph is translated 1 unit to the right;
therefore we need to subtract 1 in the
function for every
x-value
Remember:
Domain = X-values
Range = Y-values
But the word range is used in a
different context when stating
the range of x-values asking the
DOMAIN
Type in Y2 = 4 and press Graph
So: For which x-values is the original
graph below
the y = 4 graph?
1st value: x < -1 (left of asymptote)
2nd value: the range of x-values
starting at intersection between two
functions on left side
up until the second asymptote: -0.886
<x<3
3rd value: intersection between two
functions on right side and larger: x >
3.386
 Basic GDC functions
Press 2nd Mode (Quit) to exit any screen
Press Alpha Window (F2) which displays shortcut menu for e.g. logBASE
and Absolute Value.
Press LOG when base 10 is needed (no base displayed though).
Press MATH to display more functions, e.g. nth square root.
Press 2nd (-) to use answer from previous calculation; this is important
since it allows accuracy in final answer (do not round in the middle of
question).
To clear List (e.g. L1), Press STAT ENTER Scroll to L1 Press Clear Enter

Some errors:
Students mix up and (-)
Students get confuse with (X,T,,n) and x-1 or x2 buttons
Remember to turn-off STAT PLOT when done with Stats Graph