Change Equation of a Graph

This example shows how you can change the equation of a graph without creating the whole construction again. Dependend elements are updated automatically.

How to Create this Construction

HTML Part

Adding a text input field somewhere on the page together with a button

<input type="text" id="eingabe" value="Math.sin(x)*Math.cos(x)">
<input type="button" value="set" onClick="doIt()">

JavaScript Part

Setting up the board

board = JXG.JSXGraph.initBoard('jxgbox', {originX: 250, originY: 250, unitX: 40, unitY: 20});
// Axes
b1axisx = board.createElement('axis', [[1,0], [0,0]], {});
b1axisy = board.createElement('axis', [[0,1], [0,0]], {});

Create a JavaScript Function f(x) From the Text Field

eval("function f(x){ return "+document.getElementById("eingabe").value+";}");

Use f(x) for defining the Graph

graph = board.createElement('curve', ["x", function(x){ return f(x); }, "x", -10, 10],{curveType:'plot'});

Define Further Elements

//glider on the curve
p1 = board.createElement('glider', [0,0,graph], {style:6, name:'P'});
//define the derivative of f
g = board.algebra.D(f);
//a point on the tangent
//                                 variable x coordinate           variable y coordinate depending on the derivative of f at point p1.X()
p2 = board.createElement('point', [function() { return p1.X()+1;}, function() {return p1.Y()+board.algebra.D(graph.Y)(p1.X());}], {style:1, name:''});
//the tangent 
l1 = board.createElement('line', [p1,p2],{}); 
//a third point fpr the slope triangle
p3 = board.createElement('point', [function() { return p2.X();}, function() {return p1.Y();}],{style:1, name:''});
//the slope triangle
pol = board.createElement('polygon', [p1,p2,p3], {});
//a text for displaying slope's value
//                               variable x coordinate          variable y coordinate                        variable value
t = board.createElement('text', [function(){return p1.X()+1.1;},function(){return p1.Y()+(p2.Y()-p3.Y())/2;},function(){ return "m="+(board.round(p2.Y()-p3.Y(),2));}],{color:ff0000});

Define JavaScript Function doIt() for Reacting on User Input

function doIt(){
  //redefine function f according to the current text field value
  eval("function f(x){ return "+document.getElementById("eingabe").value+";}");
  //change the Y attribute of the graph to the new function 
  graph.Y = function(x){ return f(x); };
  //update the graph
  graph.updateCurve();
  //update the whole board
  board.update();
}

Remarks

The doIt() function is only responsible for updating the graph. All other dependend objects are self-updating, especially the object p2 which depends on the derivative of function f. This is all done by anonymous functions of JavaScript.