Interactive method for operating a computer so as to graphically display the results of a computation

摘要

A method for operating a digital computer to provide a display for inputting values needed in a computation and displaying the results of the computation. The method starts by displaying a graphical element on a computer screen, said graphical element being capable of representing the magnitude of one of the input values. The magnitude is changed by using a pointing device to manipulate a specified region on the graphical element. The computer monitors the graphical element for any change therein. Upon detecting such a change, the computer displays the results of the computation in a first graphical display in response to the detected change in the input value represented by the graphical element. The computer then returns to monitoring the graphical element for another change. In one embodiment of the present invention, the graphical elements are arranged to form a second graphical display.