<chapter id="introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
	
<para>&kmplot; is a mathematical function plotter for the &kde;
	Desktop.  It has a powerful built-in parser.  You can plot different
	functions simultaneously and combine them to build new
	functions.</para>

<screenshot>
	<screeninfo>Examples</screeninfo>
	<mediaobject>
		<imageobject>
			<imagedata fileref="threeplots.png" format="PNG"/>
		</imageobject>
		<textobject>
			<phrase>Examples</phrase>
		</textobject>
	</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>&kmplot; supports several different types of plots:</para>
<itemizedlist>
	<listitem><para>Explicit cartesian plots of the form y = f(x).</para></listitem>
	<listitem><para>Parametric plots, where the x and y components are specified as functions of an independent variable.</para></listitem>
	<listitem><para>Polar plots of the form r = r(&thgr;).</para></listitem>
	<listitem><para>Implicit plots, where the x and y coordinates are related by an expression.</para></listitem>
	<listitem><para>Explicit differential plots.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>&kmplot; also provides some numerical and visual features like:</para>
<itemizedlist>
	<listitem><para>Filling and calculating
			the area between the plot and the first axis</para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem><para>Finding maximum and
			minimum values</para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem><para>Changing function parameters dynamically</para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem><para>Plotting
			derivatives and integral functions.</para>
	</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>These features help in learning the
	relationship between mathematical functions and their graphical
	representation in a coordinate system.</para>

</chapter>


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