Inserting Static and Dynamic

Text into the GeoGebra’s

Graphics Window
GeoGebra Workshop Handout 5

Judith and Markus Hohenwarter

www.geogebra.org

Table of Contents
1. Coordinates of Reflected Points 2

2. Inserting Text into the Graphics Window 2

3. Visualizing a System of Linear Equations 4

4. Visualizing the Angle Sum in a Triangle 5

5. Constructing a Slope Triangle 7

6. Dynamic Fractions and Attaching Text to Objects 8

7. The mod 3 Clock 9

8. Challenge of the Day: Visualize a Binomial Formula 11

GeoGebra Workshop Handout

1. Coordinates of Reflected Points

Preparations
 Open a new GeoGebra file.
 Show the algebra window, input field, coordinate axes, and the grid (View
menu).
 In the Options menu set the Point capturing to on (Grid).

Instructions

1 Create point A = (3, 1)

2 Create line a: y = 0

3 Mirror point A at line a to get point A’

Hint: You might want to match the color of line a and point A’.

4 Create line b: x = 0

5 Mirror point A at line b to get point A1’

Hint: You might want to match the color of line b and point A1’.

2. Inserting Text into the Graphics Window

Introduction of new tools

Insert text New!
Hint: Click the drawing pad to specify the location of your text. Enter the desired text into
the appearing window and click Apply.

Hints: Don’t forget to read the toolbar help if you don’t know how to use a tool.
Try out new tools before you start the construction.

Inserting static text

Insert a heading into the graphics window of GeoGebra so your students know
what this dynamic figure is about:
 Activate the Text tool and click on the upper part of the drawing pad.

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 Type the following text into the appearing window:

Reflecting a point at the coordinate axes
 You can change the properties of the text in the Properties dialog (e.g.
wording, font style, font size, formatting).
 Click Apply.
 Adjust the position of the text using the Move tool.
 Fix the position of the text so it can’t be moved accidentally (Properties
dialog – tab Basic – Fix object).

Inserting dynamic text

Dynamic text refers to existing objects and adapts automatically to modifications,
for example in A = (3, 1) the coordinates change whenever point A is moved.
 Activate the Text tool and click on the drawing pad.
 Type A = into the appearing window.
Hint: This will be the static part of the text and won’t change if point A is
moved.
 Insert the dynamic part of this text by clicking on point A either in the
algebra or the graphics window.
o GeoGebra will insert the name of the point into the text field and
add quotation marks around the already existing (static) text.
o Additionally, GeoGebra adds a + symbol to connect the static and
dynamic part of the text.
o Note: The new syntax of the text is "A = " + A
 Click Apply.
 Fix the position of the text so it can’t be moved accidentally (Properties
dialog – tab Basic – Fix object).

Note: The text shows the coordinates of point A and adapts automatically to
modifications of its position.

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Enhancing the dynamic figure

 Insert dynamic text that shows the coordinates of the reflected points A’
and A1’.
 Zoom out in order to show a larger part of the coordinate plane.
Hint: You might want to adjust the distance of the grid lines.
o Open the Properties dialog for the drawing pad (right click / MacOS:
Ctrl-click the drawing pad and select Properties)
o Select tab Grid and check the box next to Distance and change the
values in both text fields to 1.
o Close the dialog window.
 Close the algebra window and fix all text so it can’t be moved accidentally
(Properties dialog).

Task
Come up with instructions to guide your students towards discovering the relation
between the coordinates of the original and the reflected points which could be
provided along with the dynamic figure.

3. Visualizing a System of Linear Equations

Preparations
 Open a new GeoGebra file.
 Show the algebra window, input field, coordinate axes, and grid (View
menu).

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Instructions

1 Slider m_1 with the default settings for sliders

Hint: m_1 gives you m1.

2 Slider b_1 with the default settings for sliders

3 Linear equation line_1: y = m_1 x + b_1

4 Slider m_2 using the default settings for sliders

5 Slider b_2 using the default settings for sliders

6 Linear equation line_2: y = m_2 x + b_2

7 Dynamic text1: "Line 1: " + line_1

8 Dynamic text2: "Line 2: " + line_2

9 Intersection point A of both lines line1 and line2

Hint: You could use command Intersect[line_1, line_2]
instead.
10 Dynamic text3: "Solution: x = " + x(A)

Hint: x(A) gives you the x-coordinate of point A.

11 Dynamic text4: "y = " + y(A)

12 Fix the text and sliders so they can’t be moved accidentally.

Note: Such a dynamic figure can also be used to visualize an equation in one
variable by entering each side of the equation as one of the two functions.

4. Visualizing the Angle Sum in a Triangle

Preparations
 Open a new GeoGebra file.
 Hide the algebra window and coordinate axes (View menu).
 Show the input field (View menu).
 Set the number of decimal places to 0 (menu Options – Decimal places).

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Introduction of new tool

Midpoint or center New!

Hints: Don’t forget to read the toolbar help if you don’t know how to use a tool.
Try out new tools before you start the construction.

Instructions

1 Triangle ABC with counter clockwise orientation

2 Angles α, β, and γ of triangle ABC.

3 Slider for angle δ with interval 0˚ to 180˚ and increment 10˚

4 Slider for angle ε with interval 0˚ to 180˚ and increment 10˚

5 Midpoint D of segment AC and midpoint E of segment AB

6 Rotate the triangle around point D by angle δ (setting clockwise).

Rotate the triangle around point E by angle ε (setting
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counterclockwise).
8 Move both sliders δ and ε to show 180˚.

9 Create angle δ using the points A’C’B’

10 Create angle ε using the points C'1B'1A'1

11 Enhance your construction using the Properties dialog.

Hint: Congruent angles should have the same color.

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Create dynamic text displaying the interior angles and their values
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(e.g. "α = " + α).
13 Calculate the angle sum using sum = α + β + γ

14 Insert the angle sum as a dynamic text: "α + β + γ = " + sum

Match colors of corresponding angles and text. Fix text that is not
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supposed to be moved.

5. Constructing a Slope Triangle

Preparations
 Open a new GeoGebra file.
 Show the algebra window and input field (View menu).
 Show the coordinate axes and the grid (View menu).
 Set the point capturing to On grid (menu Options – Point capturing).
 Set the labeling to All new objects (menu Options – Labeling).

Instructions

1 Line a through two points A and B.

2 Perpendicular line b to the y-axis through point A

3 Perpendicular line c to the x-axis through point B

4 Intersect perpendicular lines b and c to get intersection point C.

Hint: You might want to hide the perpendicular lines.

5 Triangle ACB

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6 Hide the labels of the triangle sides.

7 Calculate the rise: rise = y(B) - y(A)

Hint: y(A) gives you the y-coordinate of point A.

8 Calculate the run: run = x(B) - x(A)

Hint: x(B) gives you the x-coordinate of point B.

9 Insert dynamic text1: "rise = " + rise

10 Insert dynamic text2: "run = " + run

11 Calculate the slope of line a: slope = rise / run

12 Insert dynamic text3: "slope = " + slope.

Change properties of objects in order to enhance your construction
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and fix text that is not supposed to be moved.

6. Dynamic Fractions and Attaching Text to Objects

Inserting dynamic fractions

Using LaTeX formulas, text can be enhanced to display fractions, square roots,
or other mathematical symbols. Enhance your construction of the slope triangle
by entering a fraction showing how to calculate the slope of a line.

1. Activate tool Insert text and click on the drawing pad.

2. Type slope = into the Insert text window’s input field.
3. Check LaTeX formula and select a/b from the drop-down list.
4. Place the cursor within the first set of curly braces. Select number rise in
the algebra window.
Hint: GeoGebra will add quotation marks and + symbols to your text.
5. Place the cursor within the second set of curly braces. Select number run
in the algebra window.
6. Click Apply.

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Attaching text to objects

Whenever an object changes its position, attached text adapts to the movement
and follows along. Enhance your construction of a slope triangle by attaching text
to the sides of the slope triangle.

1. Create midpoint D of the vertical segment using tool Midpoint or center.

2. Create midpoint E of the horizontal segment.
3. Open the Properties dialog and select text1 (rise = …). Click on tab
Position and select point D from the drop-down list next to Starting point.
4. Select text2 (run = …) in the Properties dialog and set point E as starting
point.
5. Hide the midpoints D and E.

7. The mod 3 Clock

The mod 3 clock allows you to determine the
remainder if you divide a given number by 3.
In this dynamic figure you can create a
random number between 0 and 100. Moving
the blue slider causes the hand of the clock
to rotate. When the value of the slider
matches the given number, the hand of the
clock points at the corresponding remainder
for division by 3.

Open the file 08_mod3_clock.html in order to

try out this unusual clock.

Preparations
 Open a new GeoGebra file
 Show the algebra window, coordinate axes, and input field (View menu).

Introduction of new tool

Ray through two points New!
Hint: The first click determines the starting point and the second click determines a point
on the ray.

Hints: Don’t forget to read the toolbar help if you don’t know how to use a tool.
Try out new tools before you start the construction.

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Instructions

1 Points A = (0, 0) and B = (0, 1)

2 Circle c with center A through point B

3 Zoom into the drawing pad.

4 Rotate point B clockwise around point A by 120° to get point B’

5 Rotate point B clockwise around point A by 240° to get point B’1

6 Create text1 "0", text2 "1", and text3 "2"

Hint: You might want to edit the text (bold, large font size).
Attach text1 to point B, text2 to point B’, and text3 to point B’1
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(Properties dialog)
8 Create text4 "New problem"

9 Slider a with an interval from 0 to 1 and increment 1

Create a random number between 0 and 100:
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number = floor(100 * random()) + a - a
Note:
Function random() gives you a random number between 0 and 1.
If you multiply this random number by 100 you get a decimal
between 0 and 100.
Function floor() gives you the greatest integer less or equal to
the decimal, thus, an integer between 0 and 100.
The extension + a - a allows you to create a new problem
whenever the slider is moved.
11 Create text5: "number = " + number

12 Create text6: "The mod 3 Clock"

13 Slider n (interval from 0 to 100, increment 1, width 300)

14 Clockwise angle BAB’1 with given size n*120°

15 Ray with starting point A through point B’1

16 Point D = (0, 0.8)

17 Circle d with center A through point D

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18 Intersect the ray with circle d to get intersection point D

19 Hide the ray and circle d

20 Vector from A to D

21 Change the font size of the GeoGebra window to 20 pt

Hint: Menu Options – Font size

Use the Properties dialog to enhance your construction and fix text
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and sliders so they can’t be moved accidentally.

8. Challenge of the Day: Visualize a Binomial Formula

Check out the dynamic worksheet 10_binomial_formula.html. It visualizes the
binomial formula (a  b) 2  a 2  2ab  b 2 and contains dynamic text that
automatically adapts if the values of a and b are changed. Recreate the
construction shown in the dynamic worksheet.

Hints:
 In the Options menu change Point capturing to on (Grid).
 Use static text to label congruent sides of your construction and attach it to
the midpoints of the corresponding sides.
 Use static text to label the areas of the different parts of the square and
attach it to the center of the smaller squares / rectangles. Check the box
LaTeX formula in order to create the 2 when creating the text.
 Add dynamic text that adapts to changes of the sides a and b. If you want
to color code the text you need to create a text for each term.
 Fix text that is not supposed to be moved by students (Properties dialog).

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