dotshot.uue - DOTSHOT is similar to Green Globs.  The user tries to draw lines, via equations
in slope-intercept form, thru points on a coordinate plane.

DOTSHOT is like Green Globs but for the 82.  The user must write equations in 
slope-intercept form (y=mx+b) to pass through points plotted on a coordinate 
grid.  I got the initial program idea from a program written by a teacher in 
Canton, Ohio for the TI
-81.  I apologize for not having the original authors name.  The only code I 
"stole" from him was the random order pair generator.

The program begins asking for the user to select New or Old points.  If the 
program is being executed for the first time select New Points.  If the program 
is interrupted AND the lists have not been altered then select Old Points.
If New Points was selected the user is prompted to select the number of points 
to be plotted on the grid.  A good number would be about 15.  The points will 
be randomly generated and plotted on the screen.  Some points may overlap each 
other somewhat.  Ea
ch point is has a "diameter" of about 0.4 .

At this point the user must select point(s) to draw a line through and should 
write the ordered pair(s) on a sheet of paper.  An equation needs to be 
calculated in slope-intercept form (y=mx+b) .  Press ENTER.  The screen goes 
into split screen mode and p
rompts the user to input the equation and put quotation marks around it.  
NOTE!! The whole equation y=mx+b should not be entered,  only "mx+b" !  
Additionally, only the leading quote needs to be included.  The ending quote is 
not necessary.
For example, if the equation y = 1/2 x - 2/3 is the equation to be entered, the 
user should type in:
"(1/2)x-(2/3)    <ENTER>

The line will be graphed and a determination will be made if point(s) are hit.
If hit the point(s) will be erased and a score will be displayed along with the 
number of points hit by a single line.

The user must again pick a point(s) to draw a line through and press ENTER.  
The process is repeated until all points are "hit".  Once all points arer hit a 
screen appears informing the user that all points have been hit, the total 
score, the total number
 of dots attempted, and the number of lines used.

Scoring is determined by 2^n - 1, where "n" is the number of dots hit.  
Therefore, to achieve a high score, attempt to hit as many dots as possible 
with a single line.

A few notes:
The program will accept something besides a linear equation in slope-intercept 
form but detection may not be guaranteed.  I could not figure out how to detect 
if a point was hit using a generic formula.  Therefore, I defaulted to the 
linear equation.  The
 basic idea goes as follows:
(1) convert the slope-intercept form into Standard form.
(2) use the formula to find the distance from the point to a line.
(3) if the distance is <= 0.2 then declare the point "hit"


The program was edit protected only to prevent students from editing the 
program.  I don't care if you modify the program.  All I ask is that if you use 
the program, or parts of it, elsewhere, please give credit where credit is due.

I've used this in my classroom and the students seem to enjoy playing with it.
If you decide to use this in the classroom and you want to first show the 
students how to use the program, have the students enter a common value into 
RAND, so that everybody gets the same ordered pairs.  For example, have all 
students perform the operati
on 1->rand prior to running the program.  This way they can follow along with 
their calculators while you are demonstrating it on the overhead.

Variables used:
L1,L2,L3,L5,L6
A,B,C,D,I,J,M,N,S,T,X,a,b
Y1
Pic1

Any comments, compliments, complaints, or suggestions for improvement should be 
sent to me at rjhomard@tenet.edu .
