Graphing basics

Desmos draws anything you type that starts with y= (or x=). Each expression has its own colour.

Enter: $y = 2x + 1$ and $y = x^2 - 3$.

• Click a point on a curve to see its coordinates. Grey dots mark the important points: intercepts, vertices, and intersections.
• Zoom with the mouse wheel, or the + and − buttons. If a graph seems to vanish, zoom out. It is usually just off the screen.
• Type ^ for exponents and sqrt for $\sqrt{\ }$. Desmos turns / into a fraction automatically.

On the test: whenever a question gives you an equation and asks about its graph (intercepts, where it's positive, its highest point), type it in first and look before doing any algebra.