GeoGebra Quickstart

A quick reference guide for GeoGebra

GeoGebra is free educational mathematics software that joins dynamic geometry,

algebra and calculus.
In the most simple manner, you can do constructions including points, vectors, seg-
ments, lines, and conic sections as well as functions, which can be altered dynami-
cally by mouse afterwards. On the other hand, also the direct input in school-notation
like
g: 3x + 4y = 7 or c: (x – 2)2 + (y – 3)2 = 25 is possible, and a range of commands in-
cluding differentiation and integration are at your disposal. The most remarkable fea-
ture of GeoGebra is the dual view of objects: every expression in the algebra window
corresponds to an object in the geometry window and vice versa.

In the following, you will get acquainted to GeoGebra by examining three examples.
You should work them out one after the other and not forget to try out the given tips,
too.

Example 1: Circumcircle of a triangle

Example 2: Tangents to a circle
Example 3: Derivative and tangent of a function

After starting GeoGebra, the window depicted below appears. By means of the con-
struction tools (modes) in the toolbar you can do constructions on the drawing pad by
mouse. At the same time the corresponding coordinates and equations are displayed
in the algebra window. The input text field is used to enter coordinates, equations,
commands and functions directly; these are displayed at the drawing pad immedi-
ately after pressing the enter key. Geometry and algebra side by side:

Toolbar Undo/Redo
Algebra
Window
Drawing Pad

Input Field Input Options

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Example 1: Circumcircle of a triangle
Task: Plot a triangle A, B, C and construct its circumcircle using GeoGebra.

Construction using the mouse

Choose the mode “Polygon” from the toolbar (click on the small arrow at the
third icon from the left). Now click on the drawing pad three times to create the
vertices A, B, and C. Close the triangle by clicking on A again.
Next, choose the mode “Line bisector” and construct two line bisectors by
clicking on two sides of the triangle.
In the mode “Intersect two objects” you can click on the intersection of both
line bisectors to get the center of your triangle’s circumcircle. To name it “M”,
click on it with the right mouse button (Mac OS: ctrl-click) and choose “Re-
name” from the appearing menu.
To finish the construction, you have to choose the mode “Circle with center
through point” and to click first at the center, then at any vertex of the triangle.
Now choose the mode “Move” and use the mouse to change the position of
any of the vertices – you will experience the meaning of “dynamic geometry”.

Some tips

Try the “Undo” button on the right side of the toolbar.

To hide an object, right click on it (Mac OS: ctrl-click) and uncheck “Show object”.
The appearance of objects (color, type of line, ...) can be changed easily: just use
the right mouse button (Mac OS: ctrl-click) again to click on the object and choose
“Properties” from the appearing context menu.
In the menu “View” algebra window, axes, and grid can be hidden or shown.

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 In order to change the position of the drawing pad, choose the mode “Move draw-
ing pad” and simply use the mouse to drag it.
The menu “View – Construction Protocol“ provides a table listing all the steps you
took while doing your construction. This allows you to redo the construction step
by step by the use of the arrow keys, and also to modify the order of various steps
afterwards (see menu “Help” of the construction protocol). Moreover, you are able
to use the menu “View” to hide or show unwanted columns.
Further information on constructions by mouse can be found in menu “Help“, sec-
tion “Geometric input”.

Construction using the input text field

We are now going to do the same construction as above using the input text field, so
you will need a new drawing pad (menu “File – New”). Then, type the following com-
mands into the input text field at the bottom of the screen and press the enter key
after every line.

A = (2, 1)
B = (12, 5)
C = (8, 11)
Polygon[A, B, C]
l_a = LineBisector[a]
l_b = LineBisector[b]
M = Intersect[l_a, l_b]
Circle[M, A]

Some tips

Automatic completion of commands: after entering the first two letters of a com-
mand, it will be displayed automatically. If you want to adopt the suggestion, press
the enter key, otherwise just continue typing.
It is not necessary to key in every command, you can also choose it from the list
of commands that is found at the right next to the input text field.
Clicking at the icon “Input“ (bottom left) activates the mode “Input field”. In this
mode you can click on an object from the algebra window or drawing pad to copy
its name into the input text field.
For more tips concerning the input text field click on the question mark in the bot-
tom left corner.

You will obtain especially good results from your work with GeoGebra by combining
the advantages of both input forms, mouse and input text field.

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Example 2: Tangents to a circle
Task: Using GeoGebra, construct the circle c: (x - 3)² + (y - 2)² = 25 and its tangents
through the point A = (11, 4).

Construction using input text field and mouse

Insert the equation of the circle c: (x - 3)² + (y - 2)² = 25 into the input text field
and press the enter key (tip: the exponent can be found in the list to the right
of the input field.)
Enter the command C = Center[c] into the input text field.
Construct the point A by keying in A = (11, 4).
Now choose the mode “Tangents“ and click on the point A and the circle c.

After choosing the mode “Move“, drag the point A with the mouse and ob-
serve the movement of the tangents.
You should also try to drag the circle c and have a look at its equation in the
algebra window.

Some tips

Use the tools in the rightmost toolbar menu to zoom in or out. If you have a mouse
wheel, try ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom.
It is possible to alter the equation of the circle directly in the algebra window by
double-clicking on it.
Further information on the possibilities of the input text field can be found in the
menu “Help“, section “Algebraic input“.

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Example 3: Derivative and tangent of a function
Task: Use GeoGebra to construct the function f(x) = sin(x), its derivative and its tan-
gent to a point on f plus slope triangle.

Version 1: Point on function

Insert the function f(x) = sin(x) into the input text field and press the enter key.
Choose the mode “New Point” and click on the function f. This creates a point
A on f.
Next choose the mode “Tangents“ and click on the point A and the function f.
Change the tangent’s name to t (right mouse button (Mac OS: ctrl-click), “Re-
name”).
Type the command s = Slope[t].
After choosing the “Move” mode, drag the point A with the mouse and observe
the movement of the tangent.
Type B = (x(A), s) and switch on the trace of this point (click on B with the right
mouse button (Mac OS: ctrl-click)). x(A) gives you the x-coordinate of point A.
Choose the mode “Move” and drag A with the mouse – B will leave a trace.

Type the command Derivative[f].

Some tips

Insert a different function, e. g. f(x) = x³ - 2x² into the input text field; immediately,
its derivate and tangent will be displayed.
Choose the “Move” mode and drag the function’s graph with the mouse. Ob-
serve the changing equations of the function and its derivative.

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Version 2: Point at x = a

We are now going to do another version of the last construction. Therefore, choose
“File – New” first to get a new drawing pad. Next, type the following commands into
the input text field and press the enter key after every line.

f(x) = sin(x)
a=2
T = (a, f(a))
t = Tangent[a, f]
s = Slope[t]
B = (x(T), s)
Derivative[f]

Choose the “Move” mode and click on the number a. You can change a by press-
ing the arrow keys. At the same time, the point T and the tangent will move along the
function f.

Sliders: You are also able to change the number a by the use of a slider: right-click
(Mac OS: ctrl-click) on a in the algebra window and choose “show object”.

Tip: sliders and also the arrow keys are very useful to examine parameters, for ex-
ample p and q in the quadratic equation y = x² + p x + q.

Tangent without given command

GeoGebra is able to deal with vectors and also parametrical representations of lines.
Therefore it is possible to construct a tangent t without the command Tangent[]. In
order to try this out, remove the tangent from your construction first by clicking on it
with the right mouse button (Mac OS: ctrl-click) and choosing “Delete”. Then, type
the following commands:

v = (1, f'(a))
t: X = T + r v

v is the direction vector of the tangent t. Instead of r, you could also use any other
letter as parameter.

Some tips

There is an additional possibility to construct the tangent with the help of the direc-
tion vector: t = Line[T, v].
Also try out the command Integral[f]
Further tips concerning the commands of GeoGebra can be found in the menu
“Help“, section “Algebraic input – commands“. GeoGebra’s help (pdf-file) is also
available for download at www.geogebra.org.

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Further information
You are invited to visit GeoGebra’s homepage www.geogebra.org. There you will find
further information as well as the most recent version of the free software.

GeoGebra also enables you to easily create dynamic worksheets that can be used
with every internet browser (e.g. Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer). Examples and
additional information can be found on GeoGebra’s web page.

GeoGebra Homepage www.geogebra.org

GeoGebra User Forum www.geogebra.org/forum
GeoGebraWiki - pool of educational material www.geogebra.org/en/wiki

If you have any suggestions or want to give feedback on GeoGebra or this paper,
please feel free to write to Markus Hohenwarter ([email protected]).

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