Step 1: Install GeoGebra.
Download the free software at http://www.geogebra.org/cms/download.Step 2: Open the interface.
Open up GeoGebra and your worksheet will automatically appear. The interface should look like this:
Step 3: Get comfortable with the program and the tools.
The panel on the far left is the Algebra view, where algebraic information of objects on the Graphics view are shown. The Graphics view is where constructions, drawings, and graphs are displayed. The Coordinate axes are automatically shown when you open GeoGebra.
At the very top of the window is the Menu bar,which is used for organizing and editing files as well as modifying settings. Below the menu bar is the Toolbar where tools for drawing, constructing, measuring, and manipulating objects are shown. The Input bar is located at the very bottom of the window and is used for typing equations, algebraic commands, and computations.
The coordinate axes, the algebra window, and the input bar can be displayed or hidden using the View menu.
When a tool is highlighted by a blue border, this means that it is the active tool. As long as a certain tool is active, it will construct the same drawing or perform the same task.
Each tool icon has a triangular arrow located at the bottom-right of the tool. When you click the arrow a drop-down menu will appear that displays other tools.
At the very top of the window is the Menu bar,which is used for organizing and editing files as well as modifying settings. Below the menu bar is the Toolbar where tools for drawing, constructing, measuring, and manipulating objects are shown. The Input bar is located at the very bottom of the window and is used for typing equations, algebraic commands, and computations.
The coordinate axes, the algebra window, and the input bar can be displayed or hidden using the View menu.
Step 4: The Toolbar and the Tools
The toolbar contains the tools that are used to construct objects such as points, lines and other figures.The tool categories in addition to the default tools displayed are as follows:When a tool is highlighted by a blue border, this means that it is the active tool. As long as a certain tool is active, it will construct the same drawing or perform the same task.
Each tool icon has a triangular arrow located at the bottom-right of the tool. When you click the arrow a drop-down menu will appear that displays other tools.
Simply click the tool you would like to construct and then click on the graphics view at two points.
For more basics you can read the Introduction to GeoGebra guide or watch some tutorials on GeoGebra.
Your guide to GeoGebra is very clear and concise. Starting with the “Overview,” you give a nice quick snippet into the workings of this program, then it is wonderfully detailed in the “How to..” section of your blog. The screenshots and directions allow a reader to fluidly understand the program and where all the important buttons live! I think having a worked out example of a shape or function of GeoGebra would also be very beneficial, or hyperlinking a lesson plan somewhere under “Step 4” so we can see how amazingly it has been implemented! This is a great introduction to the software.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen! This How To is really great! Eventually, I will try getting myself familiarized with Geogebra, and I think this will be where I start looking as I do that. Your arrows and screen shots are very clear and easy to follow, so I know exactly what I am looking for and what I can do with all the overwhelming buttons. I would love to see an extended How To on perhaps something specific and simple, like graphing a quadratic function, just to get a sense of how user-friendly Geogebra really is. Also, thank you for the link to download the software!
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