3D Graphing (GeoGebra3D)

Laila Gamaleldin, April 2021

Background

Geogebra3D is an augmented reality (AR) 3D calculator that can be downloaded as a phone application on either Android or iOS. It can be used to solve math problems, graph 3D functions and surfaces, and create geometric surfaces. Alongside AR mode, users can also plot graph in regular 3D. Graphs can be saved and screenshoted for later viewing.

Official Resources

GeoGebra website

Exploratory video

Getting Started with GeoGebra Augmented Reality

Activity

You can find a GeoGebra activity here in the Wiki

Feature Set

  • Basic Tools

    • Move

    • Point

    • Pyramid

    • Cube

    • Sphere: Center & Point

    • Plane through 3 Points

    • Intersect Two Surfaces

    • Net

  • Edit

    • Show/Hide Label

    • Show/Hide Object

    • Delete

    • View in front of

  • Points

    • Point

    • Intersect

    • Midpoint of Center

    • Point on Object

    • Attach/Detach Point

  • Lines and Polygons

    • Segment

    • Segment with Given Length

    • Line

    • Ray

    • Vector

    • Polygon

    • Regular Polygon

    • Perpendicular Line

    • Parallel Line

    • Angle Bisector

    • Tangents

  • Solids

    • Pyramid

    • Prism

    • Tetrahedron

    • Cube

    • Sphere: Center & Point

    • Sphere: Center & Radius

    • Cone

    • Cylinder

    • Extrude to Pyramid

    • Extrude to Prism

    • Net

    • Surface of Revolution

  • Planes

    • Plane through 3 Points

    • Plane

    • Parallel Plane

    • Perpendicular Plane

  • Circles

    • Circle with Axis through Point

    • Circle with Center, Radius and Direction

    • Circle through 3 Points

    • Circular Arc

    • Circumcircular Arc

    • Circular Sector

    • Circumcircular Sector

  • Curves

    • Ellipse

    • Conic though 5 Points

    • Parabola

    • Hyperbola

    • Locus

    • Intersect Two Surfaces

  • Transform

    • Reflect about Plane

    • Reflect about Point

    • Rotate around Line

    • Translate by Vector

    • Dilate from Point

    • Reflect about Line

  • Measure

    • Angle

    • Distance of Length

    • Area

    • Volume

  • Others

    • Rotate 3D Graphics View

    • Move Graphics View

    • Copy Visual Style

  • Special Lines

    • Vector from Point

    • Polyline

    • Polar of Diameter Line

Class Feedback

The class completed the following in-class activity using the GeoGebra AR phone application. The following survey was distributed afterward and the results were as follows:

Ratings (out of 5, with 5 being the best):

  • Overall experience: 3.6 (average), 4 (median)

  • Usability: 3.5 (average), 4 (median)

  • 40% outright preferred this app to the alternative they used in their multivariable calculus class, another 40% put some variation of yes when asked if this tool was more helpful than what they used to make graphs in multivariable calculus

Reviews:

  • People liked:

    • That the interface was very simple and intuitive

    • The ease of exporting images

    • Unit conversion features

    • Being able to easily switch between 3D and AR

    • Being able to change colors

    • Being able to use multiple intersecting features

  • Points of Improvement:

    • Surface detection

    • Load time for more complicated equations

    • Adding functionality so that graphs can be entered as pure text

    • Easier control of perspective in the app

    • Providing a basic tutorial with the app

    • Providing hand tracking in AR

  • 3D vs. AR:

    • General consensus was that viewing graphs in AR was more enjoyable and intuitive than in 3D

    • 3D allowed for more movement and was more stable

  • Possible features for the application:

    • VR support

    • Being able to set bounds and highlight them (would help with visualizing integrals)

    • Parametric curves and surfaces

    • Collaborative experiences