ContourPlot3D vs PlotQuadricSurface
- To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
- Subject: ContourPlot3D vs PlotQuadricSurface
- From: SCHNEIDR at KNOX.BITNET
- Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1993 11:29 CST
Mark Pundurs from wri points out that ContourPlot3D will plot a quadric
surface. This is correct and ContourPlot3D is a very nice command. However,
it is slow and requires that the user knows the region on which to request
the plot. To plot a quadratic, PlotQuadricSurface in KnoxPackages only
requires that the user input the quadratic (assumed to be of the form
q[x,y,z] = 0) and the variables. Timings on my Mac IIfx for the quadratic
x^2 + y^2 + z^2 + x y + y z + z x = 1
are
ContourPlot3D - 165 Seconds
PlotQuadricSurface - 19 Seconds
Moreover, PlotQuadricSurface also has options for drawing the axes and
printing the simplified equation, the principal axes, and the type.
KnoxPackages are available through MathSource (0204-512). Many new
commands as well as revisions of existing commands are being completed
this summer. The new packages will be available in August.
Dennis M. Schneider
Knox College
Galesburg, IL 61401