The graphing calculator program that comes with every Power Macintosh computer is a very powerful tool for doing algebra. This activity will help you to learn how to use this program to simplify and solve literal equations.
When you start the graphing calculator, you should see a window similar to this:
You type expressions and equations in the top part of the window. Graphs appear in the bottom part of the window. The buttons on the lower left allow you to zoom in and out. You can see different parts of the graph by dragging the axes with your mouse.
Since we won't be doing any graphing, click the double line between the two parts of the window and drag it to the bottom. This expands the top part to take up the entire window.
Type the volume formula V=LWH into the graphing calculator. Let's use the graphing calculator to solve this equation for other variables. Select the L by clicking in front of it and dragging past it. Choose Isolate Term from the Equation menu. What happens?
Use this method to solve the following literal equations for the specified variable (write down the resulting formulas):
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This method will only work on relatively simple literal equations. Type the formula A = p + prt into the graphing calculator. We cannot use Isolate Term to solve for the variable p because there are two of them. Select the p in the prt term (click in front of it and carefully drag past it). Drag this p to the left until you see:
This factors the p out of the two terms. Now there is only one p and we can solve the equation. Select the entire parenthesized expression and drag it to the left of the equal sign. You should see something like this:
Now select the entire left side of the equation and choose Simplify from the Literal menu. You should see something like this:
Use this method to solve the following literal equations for the specified variable (show all your steps and do not use the Isolate Term command):
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