You can use the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator to write text on a graph. Writing text on a graph is quite useful. For example, you can indicate the numerical value of tick marks on the axes and you can label the graphs.

On the other hand, writing text on a graph can be very frustrating because the calculator has no undo feature and it takes practice to figure out where to place the text so that it doesn’t interfere with the graph. To write text on the graph, follow these steps:

  1. Graph the functions, parametric equations, polar equations, or sequences.

  2. Press [2nd][PRGM][0] to select the Text option from the Draw menu.

  3. Position the cursor on the screen at the spot where you want to start writing text.

    Finding this spot takes practice. The cursor looks like a very small + sign and the text you write will be about three times as tall as the cursor and two and a half times as wide. The upper-left corner of the text will be positioned in the fourth quadrant of this + sign.

  4. Enter your text.

    Use the [ALPHA] key to enter letters and the number keys to enter numbers. The = sign is entered by pressing [2nd][MATH][1] and the arithmetic functions are entered by pressing [+], [–], [x], or


    Other useful symbols can be found in the Catalog.

    If you don’t like the location of the text you’ve placed on the screen, move the cursor to the upper-left corner of the text and repeatedly press [ALPHA][0] to replace the text with a space. Doing so erases the text; it may also erase a small part of the graph.

  5. Move the cursor to a new location to enter more text or press [CLEAR] when you’re finished writing text.