The Case. Waves are everywhere — ripples on the sea, the wobble of a skipping rope, even the sound coming out of your headphones is a wave. Numbers can draw them too. Can you shape your own wave just by dragging two sliders? This is exactly how a music app draws the sound you hear.
Your tools. numpy makes the wave with np.sin; matplotlib draws it. Two sliders control it.
Investigate. Drag the sliders above the code — the wave redraws instantly, no need to press Run.
- Turn
wavesup: more wiggles. Turnheightup: taller wave. - The
# @sliderlines make a value draggable — try it in your own code!
🎚️ Drag to explore — the chart updates live
your_code.py
Starting Python…
The Reveal
Starting Python… (first time only — a few seconds)
🗒️ Detective's notes
Bundles your findings, chart and code into one PDF you can keep, print or hand in.
🧩 How this code works
The tools it uses
- NumPy — a row of boxes that holds numbers, so you can do maths to all of them at once.
- Matplotlib — your crayon box — it turns numbers into charts and pictures.
What this one does
- • It draws a line chart — great for change over time.
How to read it, top to bottom
- 1. Import — bring in the tools (listed above).
- 2. The data — the lists and numbers near the top. These are the bits you change.
- 3. The work — a little maths, or a loop that repeats a step.
- 4. Show it —
print(...)writes words;plt.show()draws the picture.
Use it for your own problems
- Change the numbers at the top and press Run — nothing breaks, so experiment!
- Ask your own version of the question — swap in your family, your scores, your week.
- The same tools work on any numbers — that's the superpower you're learning.
Need a hint?
A slider line looks like: waves = 3 # @slider 1 10 1 (default, min, max, step).