🎉 What's New at Desmos Studio

October 2024 (Part 2)


It’s almost un-imag-inable since we’re only 2.5 weeks in, but we’re coming at you with ANOTHER exciting October update.

We'd like to welcome complex numbers to Desmos!

Unlocking the power of complex numbers in the Scientific, Graphing, and 3D calculators is now just a toggle away.

To get started, navigate to the Settings menu (the wrench icon) and enable Complex Mode. With this feature activated, you can now compute with and graph complex numbers; opening up a whole new realm of mathematical possibilities.

Learn More

Other Fun Things

  • You can now hear table regression curves using audio trace! Try listening to different models in this example or learn more about audio trace in our accessibility article.
  • Check out the new Geometry gallery and updated 3D gallery and see what’s new to discover in the example constructions and graphs. Find them at desmos.com/geometry-gallery and desmos.com/3d-gallery.
  • New accessibility feature: Try panning a graph with a keyboard. Use the up, down, left, and right arrow keys to navigate when focused on the graph paper. Try it here or check out all of our keyboard shortcuts organized by tool.
  • The rotation UI in the Geometry Tool was simplified. After defining your center of rotation, reuse it as the vertex of your angle of rotation. Alternatively, you can still define the angle of rotation numerically or by clicking on a directed angle. Example.

 

October 2024


Have data you want to model?

Screenshot of regressions tour with an arrow prompting you to click the regressions icon to add a regression.

Creating a regression model in Desmos just got a whole lot easier. Get started in only 2 steps:

Step 1: Plot your data in a table
Step 2: Click on the ‘add regression’ icon
✅ Done!

Once you have your regression in a table, switch between different models, plot residuals, and explore until you find the best fit.

Learn More:

 

September 2024


Explore Residuals, Evaluations, and New Testing Calculators

GIF using the Zoom Fit button to fit the graph window to the residuals.

Zoom Fit Residuals
Use the new zoom fit icon next to the residuals of your regression model to get a better look at how they’re plotted!

Before and after photo showing what used to happen when you copy/paste a fraction vs what happens now.

Copy and Paste Evaluations
We fixed a bug so now you can copy evaluations and paste them in a new expression line without losing any formatting (including with a keyboard).

Screenshot of the testing page with Illinois chosen.

Desmos is on the Test in Illinois!
State test calculators for Illinois were added to desmos.com/testing/illinois and desmos.com/practice.

 

Other Fun Things

  • Those who use adaptive technologies (like JAWS for Windows, NVDA, VoiceOver, etc.) now have an improved experience when navigating tables.
  • You can now use Page UP and Page Down to navigate in and out of a table and focus the previous or next expression. Check out all of our keyboard shortcuts organized by tool.
  • We fixed a bug so you can now rename your version of an example graph as you save it to your account.

 

August 2024


New Look, Same Dynamic Geometry Tool

Screenshot showing the new toolbar with the token navigator open and dynamic tokens in the folders.

Is that the same Desmos Geometry Tool? You bet it is, but now with increased functionality. We’ve added new construction tools, the ability to construct from a selected object, quicker ways to add labels, change color, and move objects to the expression list, and more!

Read all about the changes below and then try one of the example constructions. We’d love to hear what you think! Please share any bugs, questions, or suggestions with us at support@desmos.com.

Learn More:

 

What's New with Constructions

GIF creating a parallel line to the bottom leg of a triangle through the top vertex using the geometry toolbar.

You can now construct off of an object after you select it.

Screenshot of the new angle bisector tool.

We’ve added an angle bisector tool!

GIF using the geometry toolbar to move a polygon to the expression list and dragging a tranformation down from the token navigator to the expression list.

From the more options menu (vertical 3 dot icon), you can delete selected objects, change points to be draggable, or move object definitions from the token navigator to the expression list.

 

It’s now easier to label objects and change their color.

Pythagorean theorem graph with the color change options showing in the selected items menu.

After selecting a point, angle, or segment, label it or change its color directly from the menu that pops up.

Screenshot of a pythagorean theorem graph showing how to label a segment.

With a segment or angle selected, choose to label with text or the measurement.

Screenshot of a pythagorean theorem graph showing how to label a coordinate point.

You can also label points with their coordinates! To do so, turn on the axes in the graph settings menu and select the point to label it.

Other Fun Things

  • 3D spheres now accept 2D center points too. Example
  • If you use an action or the ticker, those inputs can now be printed in Braille mode. Read more about actions or Braille mode.

 

July 2024


Dynamic Tokens

GIF of vectors going around a figure eight shape showing how the vector tokens change.

In Desmos Geometry, tokens represent the geometric objects that you construct. You can find them in the token navigator at the top of the expression list.

Some things you can do with tokens:

  • Drag them into the expression list to see the function used.
  • When working in the expression list, click on objects on the graph paper to use a token reference.

And now, you can see even more about an object from the token itself. Notice how angles match their measures, polygons change dynamically as you increase the number of sides, vectors change direction as you move them around, and more.

Learn More:

 

Other Fun Things

GIF showing the curve y=x^2 and the line y=1/2x+2. The decimal point intersections are highlighted with 5 points of precision and copy and pasted into the expression list.

Points of Intersection: We now show at least 5 decimal places for intersection points and you can copy and paste the points into the expression list.

Screenshot of the Desmos home page.

New Homepage: Easily navigate to any of our math tools right from desmos.com.

Before and after photo of a point labeled 'Text followed by: y = x^2.' The after photo shows all of the text is aligned whereas in the before the math text is in a different line.

Bug Fix: Text and math in one label now line up.

 

June 2024


Hold shift to use Geometry Tokens in the Expression List

Screenshot of the Geometry calculator showing a rotation function R(x) = rotate(x, point, 90) with instructions to shift+click the polygon on the graph paper to insert the token.

Using a token in the expression list to reference a geometry object is just a click away.

When working in the expression list in the geometry tool, click on objects on the graph paper in order to use a token reference to the object in your expression.

In some situations, we have limited what objects you can click on to fit the context of the rest of the expression. Want to still use a token here? No problem! Hold down shift and then we’ll let you click on any geometry object you want.

Learn More:

 

Other Fun Things

Screenshot of the supported functions article.

We updated our supported functions article! Find examples of functions to use across each of our tools. Have a question or suggestion for improvements to this page? Reach out to us at support@desmos.com

Photo of the options menu in Geometry showing 2.5 px width.

Polygon edges in the geometry tool now default to a 2.5 px width just like in the graphing calculator. Example polygon

Photo of error message for a circle in the Geometry Tool.

In error messages in geometry and 3D, you can now learn about expected argument types. Check out the new error message

 

May 2024


Change to Random Seeds

GIF showing the graph of the first 101 points of the sequence f(n)=f(n-1) + random([-1,1]) with base case f(0)=0. Then pressing the 'Randomize' button to change the values of the function and the graph.

We’ve upgraded random seeds to work more seamlessly with recursion by re-randomizing based on function arguments. Now you can go on a random walk with ease!

Learn More:

 

Accessibility Updates

Photo of the color picker with green selected.

You can now navigate through colors and toggles (e.g. degree / radian, or line styles) with arrow keys.

Photo of error message for hsv() function describing the inputs required.

Error messages are in the tab order for keyboard accessibility.

Before and After screenshot comparing the old Radian to Degree toggle to the new Radian and Degree buttons.

The degrees / radians toggle in the scientific calculator has higher contrast and keyboard navigability.

 

Other Fun Things

  • You now have more options when complicated expressions are slow to evaluate or plot. Have an expression line that’s holding up the rest of the graph? Try editing it or deleting it to speed up everything else. Example graph
  • Across tools, there’s now a subtle indication of “minus” (more padding) vs “negative” (less padding). Example graph
  • Ellipses have a little separation to make it easier to use in lists. Example graph
  • Shift-enter will add a new line inside of notes. Example graph

 

April 2024


Recursion, Recursion, Recursion

Screenshot of the 6 points in the Graphing Calculator where the x-coordinate represents the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. term in the sequence and the y-coordinate is the sequence term.

Define recursive functions in the Desmos Graphing Calculator, Geometry Tool, and 3D Calculator. Get started by reading our recursion article or exploring a recursive sequence example.

Learn More:

 

Other Fun Things

  • Set your language to either French (Canada) or French across desmos.com and in each of our tools.
  • Search the expression list to find all labels, even those that don’t show on the graph. Example graph
  • You can now select error message text in tooltips. Try copying and pasting the error message into a note in this example graph.

 

February 2024


2023 Art Contest Winners Announced!

Collage of 2023 Art Contest winning graphs.

We were blown away by the artistry, care, and ingenuity on display this year. Choosing just 100 graphs was nearly impossible, but we expect you’ll be as inspired by them as we are. As you explore the gallery, be on the lookout for the small details and bits of magic you’ll find scattered throughout artist statements and notes.

Learn More:

 

Explore Perspective in 3D

Animation showing a cylinder in 3D when translucent and reverse contrast has been selected from the graphs settings menu and showing how moving the perspective slider changes the graph.

In Desmos 3D, you'll now find a perspective slider in the settings menu. Explore how to change the view of the 3D cube from orthographic to perspective by opening the graph to the right.

Learn More:

 

January 2024


D.I.Y. 3D Games with Clickable Objects!

A 3D graph with a sphere, a green up arrow, and a red down arrow. The GIF shows when you press the green up button the sphere moves up the z-axis by one unit and when you press the red down button moves the sphere down one unit on the z-axis

3D now has clickable objects! You can run actions by clicking on objects in 3D like you can in the 2D and geometry calculators.

Learn More:

 

Interval Values ‘for’ a Parameter

Image of points along a circle and creating a circular surface with 'for.'

In the calculator, you can now plug multiple values for a parameter into an equation in one line. To do so, type the word ‘for’ to generalize the parameter with a list or an interval.

Learn More:

 

Other Fun Things

  • 3D graphs that use many spheres or triangles are now a whole lot faster. See, for example, Sphere Quantization by Jason H.
  • Control the movement of the 3D cube with your keyboard! While focused on the cube (use the shortcut CTRL + ALT + P on PC), arrow keys will rotate and tilt the cube. Read more about keyboard shortcuts at desmos.com/3dshortcuts.

 

November 2023


🎵 Make Music and Sound Effects in Desmos

Explore the new tone expression to create sound in the Desmos Graphing Calculator, Desmos Geometry Tool, and Desmos 3D.

Learn More:

 

Other Fun Things

  • Use desmos.com/diagnostics to send us an automatically generated report that will help diagnose what might be going wrong with any of the Desmos Tools.

 

September 2023


Introducing DESMOS 3D!

Jump into a new dimension of math with Desmos 3D! Explore connections between 2D curves and 3D surfaces. Now in Beta at desmos.com/3D.

Learn More:

 

July 2023


Vectors in Desmos Geometry

GIF created in Desmos Geometry creating one vector with the Geometry Toolbar and one with the vector function the adding the two together.

Our Geometry Tool now includes vectors you can compute with in the expression list! Check it out at the links below. (Bonus: What do you notice about the vector tokens in the token navigator as you move the vector around?)

Learn More:

 

Reveal Hidden Geometry Objects

GIF showing how to reveal hidden objects in the Geometry Settings menu, then permanently showing some of the hidden objects.

You can now temporarily reveal hidden objects from the settings menu in Desmos Geometry. Find the checkbox in the settings menu.

Learn More:

 

May 2023


New and Improved: Desmos Geometry

Our next generation Geometry Tool is here! Construct and explore with the power of the graphing calculator built in. Now at desmos.com/geometry.

Learn More:

 

April 2023


Switch to a Logarithmic Scale

Gif showing points on a curved graph changing to points approximating a line by turning on Logarithmic scale for the x and y axes.

Visualize data across many orders of magnitude by setting either axis, or both, to a logarithmic scale. Open the settings menu and navigate to ‘more options’ to get started.

Learn More:

 

February 2023


Visualize Lists in a Table

Screenshot showing a list L with elements 1 through 10. Below is a table where the first column is L and the second column is L^2.

The first column in a table can now be externally defined. Try it out in the graph to the right. Change the values in the list L and watch how the table changes.

Learn More:

 

January 2023


Substitute Values ‘with’ Expressions and Lists

Screenshot of two parabolas with the formula f(x)=ax^2+bx+c. There are 3 sliders for a=1, b=1, and c=1. Then, f(x) is graphed with b=-1 showing the graph shifted to the right by 1.

You can now use our substitution feature to replace any variable in an expression with a constant value, another variable expression, or a list. You'll find the 'with' substitution function under 'advanced features' in the function keypad.

Learn More:

 

2022


Introducing Desmos Studio PBC

Hello from Desmos Studio!

In the spring of 2022, Desmos Inc. split into two entities. Desmos Classroom joined Amplify Education and Desmos Studio remained independent.

Here at Desmos Studio, we now focus all of our energy on building the most equitable, accessible, powerful, and delightful tools for exploring mathematics. This What’s New page is dedicated to sharing updates with you about all of those math tools.

For a complete change-log of calculator updates (including those prior to 2022), visit our API docs.

Happy Graphing,

The Desmos Studio Team