16

In my example, I have to simple curves y = sqrt(x) and y = x. I would like to be able to attach a label along each curve, say at the middle of the curve. Right now, I am doing it by trial and error until it looks "right." How may I use node positioning to achieve what I have?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
    \begin{tikzpicture}[scale=2,>=latex,x=1.5cm]
        \begin{scope}
            \draw[->] (-0.2,0) -- (1.5,0) node[above left]{\footnotesize $x$};
            \draw[->] (0,-0.2) -- (0,1.5) node[below right]{\footnotesize $y$};
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250] plot (\x,{sqrt(\x)});
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250] plot (\x,{\x});
            \node at (0.35,0.75) {\footnotesize $y=\sqrt{x}$};
            \node at (0.65,0.5) {\footnotesize $y=x$};
        \end{scope}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
DJJerome
  • 4,056

4 Answers4

18

For graphs I would recommend you use the axis environment from pgfplots instead and place the graph labels with nodes specifying the position along the line with pos=:

enter image description here

Code:

\documentclass[border=2pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\begin{document}
    \begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[
        axis lines=center,
        xmax = 1.1,
        ymax = 1.1,
        ylabel=$y$,
        xlabel=$x$,
        ]
        \addplot [domain=0:1,samples=250, ultra thick, blue] {sqrt(x)}
            node [pos=0.9, above left] {$y=\sqrt{x}$};
        \addplot [domain=0:1,samples=250, ultra thick, red ] {x}
            node [pos=0.3, below right] {$y=x$};
    \end{axis}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
Community
  • 1
Peter Grill
  • 223,288
11

Here is a solution that mylabel style is defined and it takes 3 arguments {at #1 #2 with #3} which is translated into `at #1 (position) #2 (above/below/left/right) with #3 (a label)

enter image description here

Code

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.markings}
\begin{document}

\tikzset{mylabel/.style  args={at #1 #2  with #3}{
    postaction={decorate,
    decoration={
      markings,
      mark= at position #1
      with  \node [#2] {#3};
 } } } }

    \begin{tikzpicture}[scale=2,>=latex,x=1.5cm]
    \begin{scope}[domain=0:1]
            \draw[->] (-0.2,0) -- (1.5,0) node[above left]{\footnotesize $x$};
            \draw[->] (0,-0.2) -- (0,1.5) node[below right]{\footnotesize $y$};
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250,mylabel=at 0.7 above left with {$y=\sqrt{x}$}] plot (\x,{sqrt(\x)});
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250,mylabel=at 0.5 below right with {$y=x$}] plot (\x,{\x});
%            \node at (0.35,0.75) {\footnotesize $y=\sqrt{x}$};
%            \node at (0.65,0.5) {\footnotesize $y=x$};
        \end{scope}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
Jesse
  • 29,686
6

Just for typing exercise with PSTricks.

Option 1

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt,12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-plot}
\psset{unit=4cm}

\def\f{sqrt(x)}
\def\g{x}

\begin{document}
\multido{\r=0.0+0.1}{15}{%
\begin{pspicture}[algebraic,plotpoints=200](-1,-1)(2.25,2.25)
    \psaxes{->}(0,0)(-1,-1)(2,2)[$x$,0][$y$,90]
    \psplot[linecolor=red]{0}{1.5}{\f}
    \psplot[linecolor=blue]{-.5}{1.5}{\g}
    \uput[45](*1.5 {\g}){\textcolor{blue}{$y=x$}}
    \uput[90](*\r\space {\f}){\textcolor{red}{$y=\sqrt x$}}
\end{pspicture}}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Option 2

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt,12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-plot,pst-text}
\psset{unit=4cm}

\def\f{sqrt(x)}
\def\g{x}

\begin{document}
\multido{\r=-1.0+0.1}{18}{%
\begin{pspicture}[algebraic,plotpoints=200](-1,-1)(2.25,2.25)
    \psaxes{->}(0,0)(-1,-1)(2,2)[$x$,0][$y$,90]%
    \pstextpath[r](0,.1){\psplot[linecolor=blue]{-.5}{1.5}{\g}}{\textcolor{blue}{$g(x)= x$}}%
    \pstextpath[c](\r,.1){\psplot[linecolor=red]{0}{1.5}{\f}}{\textcolor{red}{$f(x)=\sqrt x$}}%
\end{pspicture}}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Note: the red small horizontal line is given as a bonus. Is it a bug? I don't know!

kiss my armpit
  • 36,086
3

Would you be satisfied with :

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
    \begin{tikzpicture}[scale=2,>=latex,x=1.5cm]
        \begin{scope}
            \draw[->] (-0.2,0) -- (1.5,0) node[above left]{\footnotesize $x$};
            \draw[->] (0,-0.2) -- (0,1.5) node[below right]{\footnotesize $y$};
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250] plot (\x,{sqrt(\x)});
            \draw[-,domain=0:1,samples=250] plot (\x,{\x});
            \node[above left] at (0.5,{sqrt(0.5)}) {\footnotesize $y=\sqrt{x}$};
            \node[below right] at (0.5,0.5) {\footnotesize $y=x$};
        \end{scope}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

I just position the node by,

at (X,{F(X)})

I chose X in the middle of the domain here. And I specify if the text should be above/below, left/right...

LMT-PhD
  • 1,244