http://www.MathEdPage.org/calculator/stairs/

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Using the Graphing Calculator

STAIR

screenshot

A program for Texas Instruments graphing calculators
by Henri Picciotto

See the corresponding worksheets (TI-82/83/84 and TI-89) and the teachers' notes.

Preferably, download the program (TI-82/83/84, TI-89, or TI-92.) and use the TI link to get them into your calculator. If you do not have the TI link, enter the programs by hand, using the appropriate version below. Replace "->" with the "Store" arrow, "<=" with the "less than or equal" symbol, and ">=" with the "greater than or equal" symbol.

TI-82/83/84 version:

(Thanks to Dennis Dougherty for debugging this.)

Disp "STARTING POINT"
Input "X?",C:C->M
Input "Y?",D:D->N
Input "RISE? ",B
Input "RUN? ",A
While C>=Xmin and C<=Xmax and D>=Ymin and D<=Ymax
Line(C,D,C,D+B)
Line(C,D+B,C+A,D+B)
C+A->C:D+B->D
End
Line(C,D,M,N)

TI-89 version:

()
Prgm

Local usermode
getMode("all")->usermode
setGraph("Axes","ON")
setMode("Split Screen","FULL")
Ð15.8->xmin:15.8->xmax
Ð7.6->ymin:7.6->ymax
1->xscl
1->yscl

© -- subroutines --

Local dostair,clean

Define dostair()=Prgm

 Dialog
  Title "STAIR"
  Text " Starting point"
   Request "x",v
   Request "y",w
  Text " Slope"
   Request "Run",c
   Request "Rise",d
 EndDlog
 expr(v)->x
  x->m
 expr(w)->y
  y->n
 expr(c)->a
 expr(d)->b

 While x>=xmin and x<=xmax and y>=ymin and y<=ymax
  If a=0 and b=0:Exit
  Line x,y,x,y+b
  Line x,y+b,x+a,y+b
  x+a->x:y+b->y
 EndWhile
 Line x,y,m,n

 Pause 

EndPrgm

Define clean()=Prgm
 ClrDraw
 DispG
 1->ch
EndPrgm

© -- main program --

Loop
 PopUp {"Stair","Erase","Quit"},ch
 If ch=1 Then:dostair()
  ElseIf ch=2 Then:clean()
  ElseIf ch=3 Then:setMode(usermode):Exit
 EndIf
EndLoop

EndPrgm

TI-92 version:

()
Prgm

setGraph("Axes","ON")
setMode("SplitScreen","FULL")
-23.8->xmin:23.8->xmax
-10.2->ymin:10.2->ymax
1->xscl
1->yscl

© -- subroutines --

Local dostair,clean

Define dostair()=Prgm

 Dialog
  Title "STAIR"
  Text " Starting point"
   Request "x",v
   Request "y",w
  Text " Slope"
   Request "Run",c
   Request "Rise",d
 EndDlog
 
 expr(v)->x
  x->m
 expr(w)->y
  y->n
 expr(c)->a
 expr(d)->b

 While x>=xmin and x<=xmax and y>=ymin and y<=ymax
  If a=0 and b=0:Exit
  Line x,y,x,y+b
  Line x,y+b,x+a,y+b
  x+a->x:y+b->y
 EndWhile
 Line x,y,m,n

 Pause 

EndPrgm

Define clean()=Prgm
 ClrDraw
 DispG
 1->ch
EndPrgm

© -- main program --

Loop
 PopUp {"Stair","Erase","Quit"},ch
 If ch=1 Then:dostair()
  ElseIf ch=2 Then:clean()
  ElseIf ch=3 Then:Exit
 EndIf
EndLoop

setMode("Split 1 App","Home")
DelVar a,b,m,n,x,y,ch

EndPrgm
Visit Henri Picciotto's Math Education Page. Send me e-mail .