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Calculators in Higher Math Classes


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For those of you have children who have taken college Pre-Calculus or Calculus (at a college, not just college level), what were their experiences with being allowed to use calculators? Not just for homework, but on tests? Thanks!

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My ds (age 20) is a sophomore double major in Math and Computer Science at VA Tech. He uses a calculator for just about everything. He's also used computer programs for math, too, for classes.

 

I have heard that some schools and/or professors prohibit calculator use in class, so if you are concerned, you might want to ask.

 

GardenMom

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Check with the university.

 

At my undergrad, they banned calculators in the calculus classes completely, at my grad, they allowed non-graphing only. It is fairly common to not allow graphing calculators because of the text storage capacities.

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For those of you have children who have taken college Pre-Calculus or Calculus (at a college, not just college level), what were their experiences with being allowed to use calculators? Not just for homework, but on tests? Thanks!

Calc 1 and 2 allowed calculators but not those that can solve algebraic equations on their own (like the TI-89, TI-92, and TI-Nspire I think). There were times that a test question was specifically "graph this by hand and don't use your calculator" in which case they wanted to see the work of figuring out asymptotes, intercepts, etc. and not just a vague sketch. Calc 3 did not allow calculators on exams at all. It wasn't harder, really, because the problems were set up to be manageable without a calculator, but it meant that you had to know some of the standard things that could simplify everything - factoring polynomials, trig substitutions, using logs - without which you could spend way too much time trying to beat something into submission.

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Calc III -- only a non graphing calculator was allowed on tests. They could use anything for the homework (including things like Mathematica software). This often made the homework doable. Otherwise, it would have taken more time than was available.

 

The AP Calc tests require a graphing calculator. If the student means to take one of these tests, I'd advise getting one and using it a lot in the Alg 2 and Pre-Calc years as it takes a lot of time getting used to.

 

I haven't heard of restrictions in the physics or engineering classes in recent years.

 

Ten years, when I took more advanced physics, we weren't allowed to use graphing calculators but everyone did anyway. Well, except me, because I didn't have one, and it definitely showed in my grade. That professor was an idiot, though (or he would have noticed how the rest of the class was using graphing calculators right under his nose). Fortunately, he left the college, to everyone's relief. He was basically incompetent in a lot of areas.

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  • 9 months later...
Guest EmmasDad

I am a second year student of Mechanical Engineering and currently enrolled in Calculus II. My teacher forbids the use of calculators because it is his belief that if we gain "number-sense" and utilize the tools he is giving us then we can do the calcuations much quicker in our head than on a calculator. Occasionally, on my homework I will use a calculator to add a lot of fractions or to check an answer. However, I have found that he is correct and I like not using a calculator. It is quicker and I do believe we are doing our children a dis-service by teaching them to be so dependent on calculators. Most problems that first appear to be extemely complex are very simple when broken down, especially logs and exponents. I have a 3 1/2 year old who I plan to teach to use her brain and not allow to use calculators unless absolutely necessary. Our kids are very bright and their lives will be more fulfilled if they are not dependent upon another device.

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