Slope fields

To graph a slope-field in Mathematica, you use the command PlotVectorField.  The "vector field" you are actually plotting has the coordinates [Graphics:../Images/index_gr_85.gif] at each point (since each vector goes "over" 1 and "up" by the slope).  So, to graph the slope field for:  [Graphics:../Images/index_gr_86.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_87.gif]
[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_88.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_89.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_90.gif]

To clean it up a bit and make it look nicer, try the following options:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_91.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_92.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_93.gif]

If you prefer to make all of the vectors have the same length, try the following:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_94.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_95.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_96.gif]

It's a bit complicated how the [Graphics:../Images/index_gr_97.gif] options work, but if you play around with those numbers a bit you can get something that looks quite nice (be sure that you copy ScaleFunction exactly and then play with the number only; the & is very important).


Converted by Mathematica      July 20, 2003