GRAPHING CALCULATOR ADDED TO GOOGLE RESULTS

Google has always been handy for answering quick mathematical questions, unit conversions, or currency conversions typed into the search box. You can now stash that graphing calculator of yours forever, because the crew in Mountain View added graphing displays to Google calculator features as well.

Type a function into the Google search box, such as cos(x), and at the top of the results page you’ll see that graph drawn out. There are Google Maps-like controls for panning and zooming around the graph. Multiple graphs can be drawn by separating the functions with commas. The screenshot above shows what you get when you put in four functions: the four graphs are drawn, overlapping each other, in Google’s trademark bright colors.

The x- and y-coordinates in the top right corner of the graph follow your mouse but lock the point to one along the line. That feature is best explained by simply trying it out.

A couple of computer science-y quirks remain. If you graph sin(x) and hold your mouse over the point that should be zero, such as pi, the y-coordinate displays as a really small number, such as 1.5364 x 10-5. If you ever need the exact value of a certain point in your function, you could always put that directly into the search box, such as sin(0), and just let the normal Calculator app work its magic.

According to “Google engineer and math lover” Adi Avidor, the graphing calculator supports a variety of functions. Specifically, trigonometric, exponential, logarithmic functions and all their compositions are included. The feature is available now in modern browsers.

APPLE SURPASSES MICROSOFT IN MARKET CAP, REVENUE AND NOW PROFIT

Just about a year ago, when Apple passed Microsoft in market cap, the Redmond loyalists were out in full force: that means nothing — look at the revenues! When Apple passed Microsoft in revenues last October, it was: who cares — look at the profits! We were looking, and we projected that this quarter just ended would be the one in which Apple passed Microsoft in that regard too.

Sure enough, they have. Easily.

Microsoft has just announced their Q3 2011 results. The numbers appear to be good, beating analysts’ expectations. But with net income now at $5.23 billion, Microsoft now comes in well behind Apple, which had a net income of $5.99 billion last quarter.

Last October, despite Apple pulling ahead in revenue, the profit gap was about $1.1 billion in Microsoft’s favor. Last quarter, that gap was down to roughly a $600 million. And now, rather remarkable, it’s over $700 million in the other direction — a $1.3 billion swing in just one quarter. And you can probably expect that trend to continue.

Meanwhile, on the revenue side of things, Apple now holds a roughly $8 billion advantage — $24.6 billion to $16.43 billion. And in market cap, Apple’s advantage is just about $100 billion — $318.45 billion to $224.43 billion.