How do I chart a function (equation) in excel; not a data series?

[Guest]

Excel 2007.
Is there a way to create a chart of a polynomial function without populating
a data series?
example:
with the function Y=mx+b, can I define 'm' and 'b' and then produce a graph
showing how 'Y' changes with 'x' without creating a table of these values
first?

 

[David Biddulph]

No.

 

[Bernard Liengme]

Have a look Stephen Bullen's Excel Page at http://oaltd.co.uk/Excel/Default.htm
under Charting Examples he has a file ChtFrmla.zip that shows all

Other also show how to do this:
Tushar Mehta
http://tushar-mehta.com/excel/software/plot_manager/index.html

Jan Karel Pieterse
http://jkp-ads.com/Articles/ChartAnEquation00.htm

best wishes

 

[Jon Peltier]

While these techniques exist, they are not easy to implement and usually are
even more difficult to debug. What's wrong with using a worksheet range?
Worksheets are cheap (in terms of memory) and valuable (in terms of what
they show you).

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
Peltier Technical Services, Inc. - http://PeltierTech.com
_______


Have a look Stephen Bullen's Excel Page at
http://oaltd.co.uk/Excel/Default.htm
under Charting Examples he has a file ChtFrmla.zip that shows all

Other also show how to do this:
Tushar Mehta
http://tushar-mehta.com/excel/software/plot_manager/index.html

Jan Karel Pieterse
http://jkp-ads.com/Articles/ChartAnEquation00.htm

best wishes

 

[Bernard Liengme]

My views exactly but that's what OP wanted!
best wishes

 

[Jon Peltier]

No, that's what OP asked for (or thinks s/he wanted). Careful what you ask
for, it might be harder than you think.

- Jon

 

[Tushar Mehta]

I wrote the add-in, Jon, because simply listing values in a worksheet is
woefully inadequate for some functions. If one doesn't know the shape
of the function, one is left to guess as to what x-values one should
use.

Look at http://tushar-
mehta.com/excel/software/plot_manager/decompiled_help/plot6.html
particularly the subsections on comparing the results of the add-in with
other techniques.

I am also at a loss as to why you would think that entering a function
in one cell and using an add-in is either difficult to implement or
require debugging.

 

[Jon Peltier]

I've experimented with your plot manager, and would have mentioned it here,
if I'd remembered it. Obviously it would take out most of the difficulty.

I was merely thinking of the poor user who is unfamiliar with Names and
won't be able to figure out what's wrong when the chart doesn't appear as
expected.

- Jon