diff --git a/FEATURE_ROADMAP.md b/FEATURE_ROADMAP.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..28b5acf --- /dev/null +++ b/FEATURE_ROADMAP.md @@ -0,0 +1,533 @@ +# Visual Calculus - Feature Roadmap + +## Overview +This document outlines a comprehensive list of features that can be added to the Visual Calculus application to transform it from a basic calculus visualization tool into a professional-grade educational platform. + +## Current Features (v0.1) +- **Function Analyzer**: Plots functions with first and second derivatives, identifies critical points and inflection points +- **Area Between Curves**: Calculates and visualizes the area between two functions over a specified interval + +--- + +## Proposed Features + +### 🔴 High Priority Features + +#### 1. Integration Tools +**Category**: Core Calculus Features + +- **Definite Integrals Visualizer** + - Calculate and display definite integrals ∫[a,b] f(x)dx + - Show the area under the curve with shading + - Display numerical result and symbolic solution + +- **Indefinite Integrals** + - Compute antiderivatives with symbolic representation + - Show family of curves (C parameter) + +- **Riemann Sums Visualization** + - Interactive visualization of approximation methods + - Left endpoint, right endpoint, midpoint, trapezoidal methods + - Slider to control number of rectangles (n) + - Animate convergence as n → ∞ + - Display error compared to exact integral + +#### 2. Limits and Continuity +**Category**: Core Calculus Features + +- **Limit Calculator** + - Compute lim[x→a] f(x) + - Visualize left-hand and right-hand limits + - Identify discontinuities + +- **Asymptote Detection** + - Automatically detect and display vertical asymptotes + - Show horizontal and oblique asymptotes + - Visual representation with dashed lines + +- **Continuity Analysis** + - Highlight points of discontinuity + - Classify discontinuity types (removable, jump, infinite) + +#### 3. Taylor and Maclaurin Series +**Category**: Core Calculus Features + +- **Series Expansion** + - Generate Taylor series up to nth degree + - Maclaurin series (centered at 0) + - Display symbolic expansion + +- **Convergence Visualization** + - Overlay series approximations of different orders + - Animate increasing orders to show convergence + - Show interval of convergence + - Error bounds visualization + +#### 4. Interactive Controls +**Category**: UI/UX Enhancement + +- **Parameter Sliders** + - Real-time adjustment of function coefficients + - Interactive exploration of function families (e.g., ax² + bx + c) + - Immediate plot updates without re-clicking analyze + +- **Tangent Line Tool** + - Click on any point to draw tangent line + - Display slope value and equation of tangent + - Show normal line option + +- **Zoom and Pan Controls** + - Mouse wheel zoom + - Click-and-drag panning + - Reset view button + - Custom axis range quick-set buttons + +#### 5. Visualization Enhancements +**Category**: UI/UX Enhancement + +- **Color-Coded Regions** + - Show increasing/decreasing intervals in different colors + - Highlight concave up/down regions + - Use different colors for f(x), f'(x), f''(x) + +- **Dark Theme** + - Toggle between light and dark modes + - Customizable color schemes + - High contrast option for accessibility + +- **Better Point Markers** + - Label critical points as "Local Max" or "Local Min" + - Show coordinates on hover + - Display second derivative test results + +#### 6. Volume of Revolution +**Category**: Core Calculus Features + +- **3D Visualization** + - Disk method (rotation around x-axis or y-axis) + - Shell method + - Interactive 3D plot with rotation controls + - Calculate volume symbolically and numerically + +- **Cross-Section Display** + - Show representative disk/shell + - Animate the revolution process + +--- + +### 🟡 Medium Priority Features + +#### 7. Multi-Variable Calculus +**Category**: Advanced Calculus + +- **Partial Derivatives** + - Compute ∂f/∂x and ∂f/∂y for z = f(x,y) + - 3D surface plots + - Contour plots (level curves) + +- **Gradient Visualization** + - Vector field showing ∇f + - Gradient at specific points + - Direction of steepest ascent + +- **Double Integrals** + - Calculate volume under surface + - Visualize region of integration + - Polar coordinate support + +#### 8. Numerical Methods +**Category**: Computational Tools + +- **Root Finding** + - Newton-Raphson method with iteration visualization + - Bisection method step-by-step + - Secant method + - Show convergence path on graph + +- **Numerical Integration** + - Simpson's rule + - Gaussian quadrature + - Compare accuracy of different methods + +- **ODE Solvers** + - Direction (slope) fields for dy/dx = f(x,y) + - Euler's method + - Runge-Kutta methods + - Solution curve families + +#### 9. Function Analysis Tools +**Category**: Mathematical Analysis + +- **Monotonicity Analysis** + - Detailed increasing/decreasing intervals + - Sign chart for f'(x) + +- **Concavity Analysis** + - Concave up/down intervals + - Sign chart for f''(x) + - Link to inflection points + +- **Global Extrema** + - Find absolute max/min on closed interval + - Check endpoints and critical points + - Display comparison table + +#### 10. Export and Save Features +**Category**: Productivity + +- **Image Export** + - High-resolution PNG export + - SVG vector graphics export + - Copy to clipboard + +- **PDF Reports** + - Generate PDF with plots and analysis + - Include symbolic expressions + - Formatted for printing + +- **Session Management** + - Save current workspace to JSON + - Load previous sessions + - Export/import functionality + +- **LaTeX Export** + - Export equations to LaTeX code + - Generate full report template + - Copy formatted expressions + +#### 11. Additional Function Types +**Category**: Mathematical Diversity + +- **Parametric Curves** + - Plot x = f(t), y = g(t) + - Show velocity and acceleration vectors + - Calculate arc length + +- **Polar Coordinates** + - Plot r = f(θ) + - Convert to Cartesian + - Calculate area in polar coordinates + +- **Implicit Functions** + - Plot F(x,y) = 0 + - Circle, ellipse, and general implicit curves + +- **Piecewise Functions** + - Support for different definitions on different intervals + - Discontinuity handling + - Conditional notation input + +#### 12. Educational Features +**Category**: Learning Enhancement + +- **Step-by-Step Solutions** + - Show algebraic steps for derivatives + - Integration techniques breakdown + - Critical point classification explanation + +- **Help and Documentation** + - Integrated LaTeX reference guide + - Example functions library + - Contextual tooltips + - Video tutorial links + +- **Function Library** + - Pre-built common functions (sin, cos, polynomials, etc.) + - Click to load and explore + - Categorized by type + +- **Practice Problems** + - Built-in exercises with solutions + - Random problem generator + - Difficulty levels + +--- + +### 🟢 Lower Priority / Future Enhancements + +#### 13. Advanced Calculus Topics +**Category**: Advanced Features + +- **Sequences and Series** + - Convergence tests visualization + - Partial sums + - Geometric and harmonic series + +- **Vector Calculus** + - Line integrals + - Surface integrals + - Green's theorem, Stokes' theorem visualization + +- **Complex Functions** + - Plot real and imaginary parts + - Magnitude and phase plots + - Conformal mapping visualization + +#### 14. Animation Features +**Category**: Interactive Learning + +- **Derivative Animation** + - Animate secant line → tangent line + - Show (f(x+h) - f(x))/h as h → 0 + +- **Parameter Animation** + - Animate function transformation + - Play/pause controls + - Export to GIF or video + +#### 15. Data Analysis Integration +**Category**: Applied Mathematics + +- **Curve Fitting** + - Import data points + - Polynomial regression + - Least squares fitting + - Display R² value + +- **Optimization** + - Constrained optimization problems + - Lagrange multipliers + - Linear programming visualization + +#### 16. Accessibility and Sharing +**Category**: User Experience + +- **Accessibility Mode** + - High contrast themes + - Larger fonts + - Screen reader support + - Keyboard navigation + +- **Collaboration Features** + - Share session via URL/code + - Export classroom-ready presentations + +- **Mobile Responsive** + - Touch-friendly controls + - Simplified mobile interface + +#### 17. Performance Optimization +**Category**: Technical Enhancement + +- **Computation Caching** + - Store expensive symbolic calculations + - Faster re-rendering + +- **Asynchronous Plotting** + - Non-blocking UI during complex calculations + - Progress indicators + +- **GPU Acceleration** + - Hardware acceleration for 3D plots + - Faster rendering of complex surfaces + +--- + +## Implementation Roadmap + +### Phase 1: Essential Enhancements (1-2 months) +**Goal**: Add core missing calculus features and improve UX + +1. **Riemann Sums Visualization** (1 week) + - Most requested educational feature + - High visual impact + +2. **Taylor Series Expansion** (1 week) + - Strong educational value + - Relatively straightforward implementation + +3. **Interactive Sliders** (1 week) + - Significantly improves user experience + - Enables exploration-based learning + +4. **Limits Calculator** (1 week) + - Fundamental calculus concept + - Complements existing features + +5. **Dark Theme** (3 days) + - Quick win for user satisfaction + - Modern UI expectation + +6. **Export to PNG/PDF** (1 week) + - High user value + - Enables sharing and documentation + +### Phase 2: Advanced Features (2-3 months) +**Goal**: Expand to 3D and multi-variable calculus + +1. **Volume of Revolution 3D Visualization** (2 weeks) + - Requires 3D plotting infrastructure + - High educational impact + +2. **Partial Derivatives & 3D Surface Plots** (2 weeks) + - Opens multi-variable calculus + - Foundation for gradient visualization + +3. **Numerical Methods** (2 weeks) + - Root finding (Newton-Raphson, Bisection) + - ODE solvers with slope fields + +4. **Parametric & Polar Curves** (1 week) + - Expands function type support + +5. **Concavity/Monotonicity Shading** (1 week) + - Visual enhancement to existing analysis + +### Phase 3: Polish & Scalability (1-2 months) +**Goal**: Refactor and optimize for maintainability + +1. **Code Refactoring** (2 weeks) + - Split into modules (separate files) + - Create abstract base classes + - Implement plugin architecture + +2. **Function Library & Presets** (1 week) + - Pre-built examples + - Better onboarding experience + +3. **Comprehensive Documentation** (1 week) + - User guide + - API documentation + - Contribution guidelines + +4. **Testing Infrastructure** (1 week) + - Unit tests for calculations + - UI automation tests + +5. **Performance Optimization** (1 week) + - Caching mechanisms + - Asynchronous computations + +### Phase 4: Community & Ecosystem (Ongoing) +**Goal**: Build user base and contribution community + +1. **Online Demo/Web Version** + - Browser-based version (using PyScript or conversion to JavaScript) + +2. **Video Tutorials** + - Screen recordings demonstrating features + +3. **Educational Content** + - Blog posts on calculus concepts + - Integration with curriculum + +4. **Plugin System** + - Allow third-party extensions + - Custom visualization modules + +--- + +## Technical Recommendations + +### Architecture Improvements + +**Current Structure**: Single file (`visual_calculus.py`) + +**Proposed Structure**: +``` +visual_calculus/ +├── __init__.py +├── main.py # Entry point +├── ui/ +│ ├── __init__.py +│ ├── main_window.py # Main application window +│ ├── tabs/ +│ │ ├── function_analyzer.py +│ │ ├── area_between_curves.py +│ │ ├── riemann_sums.py # New +│ │ ├── taylor_series.py # New +│ │ └── ... +│ └── components/ +│ ├── plot_widget.py # Reusable plot component +│ └── slider_control.py # Parameter sliders +├── calculus/ +│ ├── __init__.py +│ ├── symbolic.py # SymPy operations +│ ├── numerical.py # Numerical methods +│ └── analysis.py # Function analysis +├── visualization/ +│ ├── __init__.py +│ ├── plots_2d.py # 2D plotting utilities +│ ├── plots_3d.py # 3D plotting utilities +│ └── themes.py # Color schemes, dark mode +├── utils/ +│ ├── __init__.py +│ ├── latex_parser.py # LaTeX input handling +│ └── export.py # PDF/PNG export +├── config/ +│ ├── settings.json # User preferences +│ └── defaults.py # Default values +└── tests/ + ├── test_symbolic.py + ├── test_numerical.py + └── test_ui.py +``` + +### Dependencies to Consider Adding +- **plotly**: Interactive 3D plots with built-in controls +- **scipy**: Advanced numerical methods +- **Pillow**: Image manipulation for exports +- **reportlab** or **fpdf**: PDF generation +- **PyQt5** or **PyQt6**: More advanced UI framework (future migration) +- **pytest**: Testing framework + +### UI Framework Considerations +- **Current**: Tkinter (simple, cross-platform, included with Python) +- **Alternative**: PyQt5/PySide6 (more modern, better styling, more widgets) +- **Web-based**: PyScript, Streamlit, or Dash (for online version) + +### Best Practices to Implement +1. **Separation of Concerns**: Keep UI, logic, and visualization separate +2. **Configuration Management**: Externalize settings (theme, defaults) +3. **Error Handling**: Graceful degradation and user-friendly error messages +4. **Logging**: Add logging for debugging +5. **Documentation**: Docstrings for all functions and classes +6. **Type Hints**: Use Python type annotations +7. **Testing**: Unit tests for mathematical operations +8. **Version Control**: Semantic versioning + +--- + +## Priority Matrix + +| Feature | Educational Value | Implementation Effort | User Demand | Priority Score | +|---------|------------------|----------------------|-------------|----------------| +| Riemann Sums | Very High | Medium | High | 🔴 Critical | +| Taylor Series | Very High | Medium | High | 🔴 Critical | +| Interactive Sliders | High | Low-Medium | Very High | 🔴 Critical | +| Limits & Asymptotes | Very High | Medium | High | 🔴 Critical | +| Dark Theme | Low | Very Low | High | 🟡 Quick Win | +| Export PNG/PDF | Medium | Medium | Very High | 🟡 High Value | +| Volume of Revolution 3D | High | High | Medium | 🟡 Medium | +| Multi-variable Calculus | High | Very High | Medium | 🟢 Future | +| Numerical Methods | High | Medium-High | Medium | 🟡 Medium | +| ODE Solvers | Medium | High | Low-Medium | 🟢 Future | +| Complex Functions | Low | High | Low | 🟢 Future | + +--- + +## Conclusion + +This roadmap transforms Visual Calculus from a basic tool into a **comprehensive, professional-grade calculus visualization platform**. The features are designed to: + +- **Support learning**: From basic derivatives to advanced multi-variable calculus +- **Enhance exploration**: Interactive controls and real-time feedback +- **Enable sharing**: Export capabilities for assignments and presentations +- **Maintain accessibility**: Clean UI with multiple theme options + +By implementing these features in phases, the application can grow sustainably while continuously delivering value to users. + +**Estimated Total Development Time**: 6-8 months for Phases 1-3 with a single developer + +**Target Audience**: +- High school calculus students +- University undergraduates +- Calculus instructors and educators +- Self-learners and enthusiasts + +**Success Metrics**: +- User engagement time +- Feature adoption rates +- Educational outcomes +- Community contributions +- GitHub stars and forks diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index ed95162..e41ab69 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,4 +1,44 @@ # Visual-Calculus +A Python-based interactive calculus visualization tool built with Tkinter, SymPy, and Matplotlib. + +## Features + +### Current Features (v0.1) +- **Function Analyzer**: Visualize functions with their first and second derivatives, identify critical points and inflection points +- **Area Between Curves**: Calculate and visualize the area between two functions over a specified interval + ![pic_1](https://github.com/SharadhNaidu/Visual-Calculus/blob/main/Screenshot%202025-10-28%20102631.png) ![pic_2](https://github.com/SharadhNaidu/Visual-Calculus/blob/main/Screenshot%202025-10-28%20102657.png) + +## Installation + +```bash +pip install -r requirements.txt +python visual_calculus.py +``` + +## Future Development + +We have compiled a comprehensive list of 90+ features that can enhance this application into a professional-grade calculus visualization platform. See our planning documents: + +- **[FEATURE_ROADMAP.md](FEATURE_ROADMAP.md)** - Detailed feature descriptions, implementation plans, and technical architecture recommendations +- **[FEATURES_SUMMARY.md](FEATURES_SUMMARY.md)** - Quick reference guide with feature categories and priority rankings + +### Top Priority Features +1. Riemann Sums Visualization +2. Taylor Series Expansion +3. Interactive Parameter Sliders +4. Limits & Asymptote Detection +5. Dark Theme +6. 3D Volume of Revolution +7. Export to PDF/PNG +8. Multi-variable Calculus (Partial Derivatives, 3D Surfaces) + +## Contributing + +Contributions are welcome! Please check our feature roadmap documents to see what's planned and feel free to submit pull requests. + +## License + +Open source - feel free to use and modify.