Software for plotting functions... Any suggestions?

Question

I'm looking for a (hopefully cheap/free) software that could plot functions for academic use.

Until this point, I used MATLAB as a primary tool to draw graphs. Although it 'could' plot any functions I need, actually I feel it is often too tedious and time-consuming to make a nice-looking plot by manipulating scripts.

Something with a simple and formal UI and the capacity to draw implicit/parametric functions would be ideal. Also, I don't care spending a few dollars on good software; so any suggestions would be welcome(except i do care about hundreds of dollars so please leave out Mathematica) :)

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

If you are a Mac user, Apple bundles for free a really neat mathematical graphing application called Grapher which you can find in the Applications/Utilities folder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapher

It does everything you ask, including implicit, polar, parametric, fancy 3d plots and animations, live 3D rotations, ... with an elegant user interface too.

Answer 2

I've found the Java Graphers by David Lippman very quick and easy if you don't want to use a bona-fide math software package.

Answer 3

Maxima CAS :

1. implicit plot : standard or draw package
2. parametric plot

HTH

Adam