FrogMom5 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I've read many threads re: graphing calculators and a lot of people don't use them for Alg. II. So, do you need them only for Calc? Physics? I am wondering because I noticed that Kolbe provides graphing calc. guides for Foerster's Alg. II course. But that seems to be contradictory to what people on this board have said. Please help. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I've read many threads re: graphing calculators and a lot of people don't use them for Alg. II. So, do you need them only for Calc? Physics? I am wondering because I noticed that Kolbe provides graphing calc. guides for Foerster's Alg. II course. But that seems to be contradictory to what people on this board have said. Please help. Denise Most of my kids haven't used one until pre-cal or cal. They definitely have not used one for Foerster's alg 2. My ds learned how to use one in April b/c he was taking the May SAT math 2 and needed to know how to use it for that. But he simply did a quick crash course with his sister. She used Foerster's pre-cal and did use the graphing feature for it. He used AoPS and didn't. He will be using it this yr for AP cal. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 A scientific calculator is fine through algebra 2, but a graphing one is generally needed for pre-calc and beyond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I've liked having mine know how to use them starting in Alg 1 since they are pretty dominate in life. But, I only let them use them to check their work - not to "do" their work. Otherwise, Alg 2 or Pre-Calc. Even then, I prefer to have them mostly use the calculators to check their work (aside from sin, cos, tan, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigid in NC Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 A scientific calculator is fine through algebra 2' date=' but a graphing one is generally needed for pre-calc and beyond.[/quote']:iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 A graphing calculator is not really needed for calculus. We certainly didn't use one back in the day. Many colleges have eliminated graphing calculators from their calculus courses because it is too easy to program (or download) the entire process, thus removing the need to think. IOW, the child needs to know how to solve the problems without the graphing calculator also. However, the SAT (and some textbooks) write their problems in such a way that trying to solve them without a graphing calculator would take forever. This is an unacceptable handicap on a timed test. The SAT rolls around in spring of junior year, therefore, they appear in algebra II texts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 A graphing calculator is not really needed for calculus. We certainly didn't use one back in the day. Many colleges have eliminated graphing calculators from their calculus courses because it is too easy to program (or download) the entire process, thus removing the need to think. IOW, the child needs to know how to solve the problems without the graphing calculator also. However, the SAT (and some textbooks) write their problems in such a way that trying to solve them without a graphing calculator would take forever. This is an unacceptable handicap on a timed test. The SAT rolls around in spring of junior year, therefore, they appear in algebra II texts. I agree. My oldest was not allowed to use a calculator in his college cal classes. He had an advantage b/c I had made him do everything by hand b/c I didn't know anything about graphing calculators. Since I learned from his experience, it is a resource that we don't want to become dependent upon. But, for standardized tests, it is helpful to know how to use one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigid in NC Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 If your kids are taking a class outside the home, some upper level math classes may require a calculator -- and a specific one. Both my ds's took precalc and calc at the local CC, and a specific calculator was required. There were no exceptions. They had to have a TI-83 for precalc and a TI-89 for calc. All their CC math tests were broken into two parts -- one part with a calculator, the other without. :) Best, ~Brigid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogMom5 Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) Thanks everyone. Your input clears up a lot of my confusion. I'll get ds a scientific calc. but will only let him use it to check his work. He'll be so happy :D. But he really will be happy once he's in college and his math classes are easier for him than for his peers. I'll get the graphing calculator in the spring before he takes the SAT. Denise Edited August 1, 2011 by FrogMom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValRN Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 is there a resource that teaches a child how to use a graphing calculator? My 16 y/o ds will be taking algebra 2 in the fall and they will not use a graphing calculator. It seems that here, once they get to CC math and sciences, it is expected that the students know how to use a graphing calculator. I'd like to start teaching my son how to use one now. It will NOT be used for his current work. I just want him to have a firm grasp on it by the time he takes the SAT in the spring and a CC math or science course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogMom5 Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 is there a resource that teaches a child how to use a graphing calculator? My 16 y/o ds will be taking algebra 2 in the fall and they will not use a graphing calculator. It seems that here, once they get to CC math and sciences, it is expected that the students know how to use a graphing calculator. I'd like to start teaching my son how to use one now. It will NOT be used for his current work. I just want him to have a firm grasp on it by the time he takes the SAT in the spring and a CC math or science course. Kolbe Academy has one. Go to the store section, choose high school math, then scroll down to the Alg. II section and you will see it there. www.kolbe.org hth Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValRN Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 FrogMom5, thanks for the tip on where to find a resource. I'm headed there now to order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacim Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) A graphing calculator is not really needed for calculus. We certainly didn't use one back in the day. Many colleges have eliminated graphing calculators from their calculus courses because it is too easy to program (or download) the entire process, thus removing the need to think. IOW, the child needs to know how to solve the problems without the graphing calculator also. However, the SAT (and some textbooks) write their problems in such a way that trying to solve them without a graphing calculator would take forever. This is an unacceptable handicap on a timed test. The SAT rolls around in spring of junior year, therefore, they appear in algebra II texts. I agree. My oldest was not allowed to use a calculator in his college cal classes. He had an advantage b/c I had made him do everything by hand b/c I didn't know anything about graphing calculators. Since I learned from his experience, it is a resource that we don't want to become dependent upon. But, for standardized tests, it is helpful to know how to use one. So glad to see these posts. I keep reading threads about graphing calculators and I don't remember using them, even in my calc classes. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind. :) Edited August 2, 2011 by stacim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 So glad to see these posts. I keep reading threads about graphing calculators and I don't remember using them, even in my calc classes. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind. :) These calculators didn't come out until I was finished with college. I learned to use them when I needed to for teaching at the high school. I still don't know how to use them for Stats. That said, I make sure my boys do know how to use them. They are the future much in the way cell phones are. BUT, I also make sure my boys aren't dependent on them. This is where the school I work at misses the boat. They start kids on calculators in 1st grade now (not graphing calculators). By high school (when I see them) few can do any multiplication or division solidly without them. Ditto that with addition and subtraction actually. Many teachers are so sold on the graphing calculators that they barely teach the math to do the computations algebraically. Then many kids go off to college unprepared. It's sad. Yes, tools are good, but they ought to be tools, not replacements for the mental knowledge IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 So glad to see these posts. I keep reading threads about graphing calculators and I don't remember using them, even in my calc classes. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind. :) If you're as old as I am, they didn't exist! :tongue_smilie: We used a basic calculator and just missed using a slide rule by a year or two. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacim Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Yes, tools are good, but they ought to be tools, not replacements for the mental knowledge IMO. So true! It is so sad to see so many young people unable to calculate without the use of said tools. I was at the store a few days ago, and because of the way that I paid for my transaction, the cash register didn't tell the cashier how much change she needed to give me. She actually asked me how much change I needed back from the dollar I handed her when my cash payment was $.79. :glare: If you're as old as I am' date=' they didn't exist! :tongue_smilie: We used a basic calculator and just missed using a slide rule by a year or two. :lol:[/quote'] That must explain it! Ha ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I would say it depends on your school path... If you are planning on doing AP Calculus - you definitely need to learn to use one. BUT they have cut from 3 to 2 the number of Free Response Questions that can use a calculator. BTW - for AP Calc - they don't even let you take a simpler scientific non-graphing calculator into the test... My ds started learning to use a graphing calc in Precalc (84+). Then in Calc we got a TI-Nspire with CAS Touchpad.... For my daughter, I will have her start playing around with the Nspire before she goes into Precalc...just to have the feel of it, because it is so different from the others...It is too much trying to learn about such a different calculator under pressure (caveat - he did Calc in one semester, so maybe a year long course would have given enough time)... I agree that one should not be calculator dependent, and as for some schools in the US, my ds2 just finished his bachelors in Engineering here and has never used a graphing calculator in school (neither in high school as he did the Swiss high school). HTH, Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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