Question for all you college TI Calculator users.......

[Samgotit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by patschreyer The TI84 comes with a conversion utility too... Also, calculates significant figures, works with atomic units... etc.

I have an 84 but no manual. Can you tell me where it's conv is located?

I should also mention that the menu interface on the 86 IMO is much much better than the 83/84 (this is part of what makes the conversion utility so nice). When using many functions on the 83/84 you must switch screens and scroll thru menus. The 86 is more "windowsy", you don't have to leave the home page to insert functions - a real time saver and selling point for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser You are right in that the TI is what everyone else uses. But I really don't think that teachers teach learning anymore from my observations. They like the students to learn what they will as they will. Teaching keystrokes is not teaching real knowledge as far as I am concern. What good are keystrokes if you can't think?

You are right to a point. I completely agree with you fundamentally, but these classes do exist, usually (always in my case) accompanied by the theoretical. The classes I took that required a graphing calc were very good in preaching that the calculator should only be used as a tool. If you don't learn the theory you will likely fail anyway.

 

[patschreyer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samgotit I have an 84 but no manual. Can you tell me where it's conv is located? I should also mention that the menu interface on the 86 IMO is much much better than the 83/84 (this is part of what makes the conversion utility so nice). When using many functions on the 83/84 you must switch screens and scroll thru menus. The 86 is more "windowsy", you don't have to leave the home page to insert functions - a real time saver and selling point for me. You are right to a point. I completely agree with you fundamentally, but these classes do exist, usually (always in my case) accompanied by the theoretical. The classes I took that required a graphing calc were very good in preaching that the calculator should only be used as a tool. If you don't learn the theory you will likely fail anyway.

Very true... The TI84 is more like a TI83 Plus Plus. The conversion utility is located under programs... it was preloaded on mine, otherwise, just grab it off the CD or TI's website.

 

[Aman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by patschreyer Go for the TI84... same button/keystroke layout as th TI83, BUT adds USB connectivity so you can load programs as well...

This would be my course of action too.

The ability to load programs gives you the ability to gain many features that otherwise would only be found on the 89.

I personally have never had use for my TI-83 outside of very simple line of reg functions and the like for my statistical math courses. Then again, I'm really only taking what I have to, because math is not my strongest subject. For architecture, I'm sure the courses will be heavier and more difficult. But in that situation, it's possible he'll have even less use of a calculator, because so much of the advanced math is just proving theorems.

 

[JahJahBinks]

83 is enough for AP cal, let alone precal.

 

[gtp]

HP NERDS UNITE!!! I've had a 48SX, 48G, 48GX, 32SII and 20S. I love HP calculators and RPN. They are difficult to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it you can run circles around everyone else. And HP calculators ARE the standard among scientists and financial types.

Anyway, to answer the original poster, the higher one gets studying math, the less the student needs the calculator. So, get the calculator the teacher suggests for this class. At university, your kid probably won't really need the calculator much.

 

[slwiser]

Yes...HP nerds...

Reverse Polish Lisp is the only language to use for programming a calculator. True object oriented programming with data and code embedded into a simple routines that can be reused as needed. No complex loops or open ended goto statements making the logic of what you were supposed to be doing difficult to understand.

But I do understand that the TI is the master of the classroom.

VHS over BetaMax again, anyone remember that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp HP NERDS UNITE!!! I've had a 48SX, 48G, 48GX, 32SII and 20S. I love HP calculators and RPN. They are difficult to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it you can run circles around everyone else. And HP calculators ARE the standard among scientists and financial types. Anyway, to answer the original poster, the higher one gets studying math, the less the student needs the calculator. So, get the calculator the teacher suggests for this class. At university, your kid probably won't really need the calculator much.

 

[wanderman]

my physics one and two classes don't allow graphing calculators so...

 

[vagarach]

Well, I am a math major, so the only calculator I have is a Sharp with the standard function--no calculus, since that is the only thing allowed on an exam, and then even, they just allow them to keep the test takers happy

.

I use maple and matlab to do any serious computing, two programs which are far easier to use than any TI/HP available so that could be an option (student editions can be cheap). I think the TI 84+ would be best, since it will satisfy the needs of the high school classes, while not being too powerful so as to be excluded from university exams. It would be best to just ask all the prospective universities, seeing as one engineering friend I have that goes to my uni is only allowed a scientific one, and another I have going to a different uni can use almost any calculator he wants!

 

[wanderman]

matlab hehe, I hated that language so much when I learned it but it is growing on me.

 

[spaceman]

Hey, thanks for all the input everyone! Great comments and advice. We decided on the TI-84 Silver. Didn't want to take the chance that the TI-89 would most likely be banned from exams. Also, seems like most instructors seem to refer to the 83/84 series, so this is a big plus.

 

[milkpowder]

I have both the Ti-89 and Ti-89Platinum. They are both essentially the same. The Platinum version has USB connectivity and also a graphical "HOME" page. The Ti-89 can be flashed to have basically the same interface as the Pt version.

I have also compared it to the Ti-83 because that was what my school recommended. The Ti-83 has basically no interface/OS and the screen has a lower resolution. Personally, I would recommend the Ti-89(Pt) over the Ti-83.

The instruction manual is so thick though...

 

[slwiser]

It must need be to teach you every combination of keystrokes that anyone may ever need to do anything.

Just how many combinations would that be? purdy near infinite I would say.

But seriously, if TI is the way you have to go then get the best one available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder The instruction manual is so thick though...

 

[Teerawit]

I have the TI-83+, TI-86, and TI-89 and I like the TI-86 the most. I like its interface more than the TI-83+ but it's not as hard to use as the TI-89. Granted this is for the algebra and calc classes that don't require all the insane features of the TI-89.

 

[JuveDuke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser Contarian here HP 50G all the way....I have the HP48SX and the HP49G. I love the CAS system of the HPs. Google HP and CAS to see what you get. Note CAS ---> Computer algebra system Check out this web site for the computer based CAS system. http://www-fourier.ujf-grenoble.fr/~...e/english.html

Sweet, didn't know they had a 50g out now. I have a 49g as well. RPN has ruined me for bumming a calc off of someone. Takes me forever to type things in using algebraic mode. On the plus side, I don't have to loan my calc out to people because they have no idea how to use it (I like to "forget" to switch on algebraic mode).

For the OP:
I got my 49g for my senior year of high school and it worked out fine. There was a little bit of teaching for TI calcs in my math courses. It wasn't that big of a deal, I only had to spend about 30 minutes to learn how to do everything that was being done on the TI's, and more. I've never had any specific instructions for TI's given in my college courses. Actually, a lot of my professors use HP calculators.

Also, it's my opinion that the HP is less likely to get stolen. I had two Ti-83s stolen before I got my HP. The HP hasn't been stolen yet after 4 years, and I certainly haven't been any more cautious with it.

 

[JuveDuke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman Hey, thanks for all the input everyone! Great comments and advice. We decided on the TI-84 Silver. Didn't want to take the chance that the TI-89 would most likely be banned from exams. Also, seems like most instructors seem to refer to the 83/84 series, so this is a big plus.

I've never seen an exam where the 89 was banned but the 83/84 were not.

It's either everything, just scientific, or nothing.

If he goes into engineering he will want a high level calculator. Calculators are rarely (I've never seen it happen in EE) banned in engineering courses and are incredibly useful. They also provide a nice check for Calc I/II/III and diff. eq.