mazakaal Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 We just got our Larson Algebra I text from American School. The AS guidebook recommends the TI-84 Plus calculator. That's going to cost 89GBP (about $140). Ouch! The guidebook says that any graphing calculator capable of graphing algebraic equations, plotting data points, and performing regressions is fine. I found the HP-39GS for 39GBP and the Casio FX-991ES Plus for 14GBP. Can anyone tell me if there's any reason I shouldn't go with one of these cheaper options so I can save a bundle of cash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Some HP models use (or used) Reverse Polish notation. That makes entry tricky if you haven't used it before. I'd check to be sure the model calculator you buy will be able to be used on any needed tests (SAT, ACT, AP, etc). Some models are prohibited on some tests. If the model you get is allowed on all tests you plan to take, then any model of graphing calculator should be fine. TI has a chokehold on the publishing industry, so it's what's used in most texts and that's the keystrokes and examples shown in the texts. Some schools will require a certain model of calculator so everyone is using the same model for ease of preventing some cheating and for teaching everyone in the same way. (It can be tough if there are 4 or 5 different model types in a classroom where each one uses different keystrokes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Is Ebay shopping an option for you? There are oodles of TI-84s on Ebay in the $30-$40 range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 Great idea. There are some on ebay.co.Uk for 50ish pounds. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 That doesn't sound very good. Thanks for letting me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 We just bought a TI-84 Silver Plus on ebay, half of new retail price. Also, you will find youtube videos which describe how to program various equations into the calculator, like Surface Area, Quadratic formula, etc. It will take awhile for your student to feel comfortable using it, so make sure he gets plenty of practice before taking the tests. It really is worth the time and effort for the help the calculator gives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 DS(#1) used a TI-83 and Foerster. He did fine with trig and calc; did OK on the SAT and used it in a Math Modelling class at the local high school (they had a computer program also). Didn't bother with the AP test because he didn't want the harder math class at the academy. Got to college and they were issued a totally unprogrammable calculator for classwork, homework, or tests and he hasn't used his TI since he got there. DD (#2) has a TI-83. Used it for Alg II, trig and the start of calc. Heard her brother's story and we're using a 30 year old calculus book with a four function plus trig calculator for the rest of calculus. DD(#3) isn't getting a TI. She has no interest in the AP Calc test and that's about the only reason I can see to learn to use one. BTW, at Parent's Weekend, the comp sci prof asked the parents who had used a RPN calculator back in the day and it was more than half! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicmom Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I would recommend going ahead and getting the TI-84 Plus, despite the expense. I think it will save you and your dc a lot of grief. I hate that TI has a strangehold on the market, but we finally broke down this past week and bought a TI-84 Plus from Amazon.com for about $100. Our story: we are die-hard RPN fans around here. We got both our kids HP scientific calculators in their middle school years and once they discovered the power and simplicity of RPN logic, they were hooked too. Both used their HP scientific calculators for the PSAT, SAT and ACT tests and scored high on math (didn't need graphing capability.) Ds never needed a graphing calculator... his EPGY calculus courses never used one (he didn't take the AP test) and he got all the way through his math courses (he's a comp sci major) at Carnegie Mellon without ever needing one. Dd on the other hand, did a different calc course and took the AP Calc AB test last year, so she had to have a graphing calculator for the test (and she's taking AP Statistics this year which also requires a graphing calculator.) The HP50g is the only graphing calculator I could find that has RPN, so we went ahead and got her that one last Christmas, figuring that, with the user manual, our smart gadget-girl should easily be able to figure out how to make it do everything she needed for AP calc (and later AP stats), right?? WRONG!!! Graphing calculators are horrifically complex--they are not at all straightforward to use, and at least as far as HP goes, the enormous online user manual was/is of very little help to dd. To make matters worse, all textbook examples and almost all available online help shows how to do things with a TI--there is practically nothing on HP (and what little is out there is mind-bogglingly complex.) Dd figured out a few things on her own, and a few things with the help of an acquaintance from an online class who also owns an HP50g, but with no other resources for help, there was much that she was at a loss for--and she missed some things on the AP calc test because she just couldn't make the calculator do them correctly. Now in AP Statistics, it's just as frustrating, and there are even some things the HP50g won't do unless you write a program!! Ugh--we don't have the time or patience to figure that out. So, we finally said "enough" and bought a TI-84 Plus so dd can utilize the calculator instructions in the textbook and get help more easily if needed. Dd will be taking 2 calculators to the test, the TI-84 for graphing and stats-specific stuff, and her trusty HP scientific for everything else!! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Is there a smartphone/ipad app that comes close to the TI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I would recommend going ahead and getting the TI-84 Plus, despite the expense. I think it will save you and your dc a lot of grief. I hate that TI has a strangehold on the market, but we finally broke down this past week and bought a TI-84 Plus from Amazon.com for about $100. Our story: we are die-hard RPN fans around here. We got both our kids HP scientific calculators in their middle school years and once they discovered the power and simplicity of RPN logic, they were hooked too. Both used their HP scientific calculators for the PSAT, SAT and ACT tests and scored high on math (didn't need graphing capability.) Ds never needed a graphing calculator... his EPGY calculus courses never used one (he didn't take the AP test) and he got all the way through his math courses (he's a comp sci major) at Carnegie Mellon without ever needing one. Dd on the other hand, did a different calc course and took the AP Calc AB test last year, so she had to have a graphing calculator for the test (and she's taking AP Statistics this year which also requires a graphing calculator.) The HP50g is the only graphing calculator I could find that has RPN, so we went ahead and got her that one last Christmas, figuring that, with the user manual, our smart gadget-girl should easily be able to figure out how to make it do everything she needed for AP calc (and later AP stats), right?? WRONG!!! Graphing calculators are horrifically complex--they are not at all straightforward to use, and at least as far as HP goes, the enormous online user manual was/is of very little help to dd. To make matters worse, all textbook examples and almost all available online help shows how to do things with a TI--there is practically nothing on HP (and what little is out there is mind-bogglingly complex.) Dd figured out a few things on her own, and a few things with the help of an acquaintance from an online class who also owns an HP50g, but with no other resources for help, there was much that she was at a loss for--and she missed some things on the AP calc test because she just couldn't make the calculator do them correctly. Now in AP Statistics, it's just as frustrating, and there are even some things the HP50g won't do unless you write a program!! Ugh--we don't have the time or patience to figure that out. So, we finally said "enough" and bought a TI-84 Plus so dd can utilize the calculator instructions in the textbook and get help more easily if needed. Dd will be taking 2 calculators to the test, the TI-84 for graphing and stats-specific stuff, and her trusty HP scientific for everything else!! :tongue_smilie: Make sure she is allowed to use the scientific calculator on the AP Stats test. I know it isn't allowed on the AP Calc test. You can bring two graphing calculators. You are not allowed to use a scientific calculator at all on the AP Calc test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Is there a smartphone/ipad app that comes close to the TI? Maybe these? http://products.wolframalpha.com/courseassistants/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 But you won't be able to take the iphone into the test, so what's the point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicmom Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Make sure she is allowed to use the scientific calculator on the AP Stats test. I know it isn't allowed on the AP Calc test. You can bring two graphing calculators. You are not allowed to use a scientific calculator at all on the AP Calc test. Good point. I knew a scientific calculator was not allowed for AP Calc (another reason we initially went with HP50g). I thought it was for AP Stats, but according to the calculator policy on AP Central, only scientific calculators that have certain statistical capabilities are allowed for AP Stats. So dd's particular scientific calculator might not make the cut... we will definitely have to check into this further. Thanks for the heads up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.