We can use these options to change the table settings so that the x column starts from 10 with TblStart. If we’d like the table to increment by 2 instead of by 1, we can change DeltaTbl to 2. I’ve made both changes in the following screen capture.
Press TABLE again to see these changes reflected in your table.
Another option is to turn off the automatic decisions about what x-values should be in our column altogether. Press 2ND and WINDOW (TBLSET) again to return to table settings. This time, change the Independent Variable from Auto to Ask. Then return to the TABLE.
Now you can enter whatever values you’d like for x, one at a time, and the corresponding y values will be automatically calculated for you. You can see that I’ve entered powers of 5 in the x column: 1, 5, 25, 125, 625.
A situation where I’ve found the Ask setting on tables to be very useful is when learning and teaching limits in Pre-Calculus or Calculus. For this next example, you’ll need to be in radians, so if you’re not, press MODE and make that change.
Now press Y=. Hide the first function by unselecting its equal sign. For the second equation, input y=sin(x)/x.
