Efofex News

This new feature was inspired by a user suggestion (thanks IK!)

We recently uploaded a new version of FX Chem (3.003.2) which introduces a radical new feature – literally.

Now, if you type a radical with a free electron, something like OH. (with the full stop) FX Chem will automatically convert the full stop to a raised dot.

Snippet

The new version can be downloaded now by holders of licenses for FX Chem 3 and any current FX SciencePack subscriber.

This new feature has been inspired by a user request (thanks again Michalis!)

We have added five new angle marking options to FX Draw. The new marks are designed to allow you to easily mark angles as congruent.

The new marks are accessed by right clicking on an angle mark.

This new feature has been inspired by a user suggestion.

FX Draw and FX Graph have long been able to add a tangent to a function and let you investigate the equation of the tangent line.

A user (thank you Michalis) recently indicated that he would like the option of showing the normal to the function at the same point so this feature has been added to FX Draw (6.001.12) and FX Graph (6.001.4)

The toolbar button has changed slightly to show the normal.

To use the new tool, draw the Tangent Line as you always have and then right click on the tangent line to edit it.

You can choose to show the Normal (1) and also mark the angle between the normal and tangent with a right angle (2). You can also change the colour of the normal line (3). Finally, you can choose to turn off the tangent line if you wish.

Automatically generated annotations now include the equation of the normal to the function.

This new upload is a one sheet summary of all possible shadings of a two-circle Venn diagram, with the associated set statements.

These features have both been inspired by customer suggestions.

1. “UK Style” Polar Graphs

In some locations (at this point of time, we only know of this existing in the UK), negative results from functions such as r = 8sin 2th are ignored. This produces graphs like this.

FX Draw and FX Graph can now draw “UK Style” polar graphs. Go to the Tools menu and choose Preferences.

Check the “Restrict Polar to r >= 0” option.

At Efofex we try to accommodate all school systems. If you work in a location where something is done a little “differently” please feel free to contact us. We may be able to add a new option for you (or point you to an option that has always been there!)

2. Arrow Heads on Link Graphs.

Link graphs are a form of bivariate data graph available in the statistics graph tool.

You can now add arrow heads to the links.

 
This new feature was inspired by a question from an EmPower student.

In FX Draw you have always been able to overlay a set of axes with a freehand, smoothed line (but the resulting line is not “part” of the graph). There has not, however, been a way of drawing a smoothed line over an FX Graph graph.

We have now added a new feature to both FX Draw and FX Graph that allows you to explicitly enter a smoothed line into the graph tool.

If you join points with a tilde (~), the graph tool will draw a smoothed line joining the points.

For example, if you enter (-10,-4)~(-5,3)~(1,-1)~(6,8)~(10,-4) as your function, the graph tool will draw this graph.

You can mix ~ and + in the same function.

(-10,-4)~(-5,3)+(1,-1)~(6,8)~(10,-4)

The smoothed curves do not have to be left to right. In other words, they do not need to represent a function.

(-10,-4)~(-5,3)~(1,-1)~(6,8)~(10,-4)~(6,-10)~(-5,5)

The resulting line is guaranteed to pass through the listed points. You can also reduce the size of the points so that they do not appear as marked points.

We are going to introduce the original Efofex Teacher Resource Project uploads to ensure that our customers have seen the resources we are making available.

The Bearings document contains four bearings questions that can modified for use in exams, tests and worksheets. They highlight the bearings tool available in FX Draw.

Current subscribers and license holders can download a docx version of the file that includes full solutions.