What kind of calculator do I need to get?

[mom2jrcsc]

My ds will soon be starting Saxon Alg II. (He hasn't had geometry yet - we're doing it after Alg II). Does he need any particular kind of calculator for Alg II? DS keeps telling me he needs a graphing calculator, but I can't find any requirements or recommendations in the Saxon book. DH disagrees and thinks ds should do math without any calculator at all (like he did).

 

Ds will also be taking the SAT in Jan. Does he need a calculator for that?

 

Please advise.

[Alyce]

My dd managed to get through pre-calculus with nothing more than a scientific calculator so I know it can be done. I just don't know what Saxon requires. As to the SAT it isn't needed but they do need a scientific calculator.

[Jann in TX]

While it is possible to work the problems on the SAT without a calculator there is NOT enough time--the test was designed to be taken WITH a calculator.

 

At this point I would hold off on purchasing a graphing calculator---they are about to make a transition to bigger and better in the next year or so--TI's inspire is only the beginning...

 

Your son will NOT need the graphing function for Saxon Algebra 2. There may be a few cases where (if you are using a video instructor or are in a co-op) you might see a demonstration of a concept using one--but there are free ones to use online...

 

I WOULD recommend getting a basic scientific calculator that has a multi-line display. These are just a step down from a graphing calculator--the key functions are nearly identical. The huge benefit is that the student gets to SEE the whole problem typed in--and can scroll back if a correction needs to be made.

 

Look for a TI-30XIIS or TI-34series. They should cost around $15.

[Sharon in MD]

:iagree:

 

Last year I'd have said go for the graphing calculator now as it would last him all the way through, but with the changes in the wind, it might be better to go for a scientific and wait to see what the next year brings. I think the TI-Inspire looks pretty cool....and being a technology nut I want to run out and get one. But I won't do it because I really don't need it....

 

but really, because the SAT is written with the calculator in mind, you want to have the advantage of the time savings. We need to give our kids every possible advantage on this tests so that they can really do their best.

[mom2jrcsc]

.

[AndyJoy]

I would get a TI-36. It has a few more trigonometry features yet still is cheap (around $20-25, I think). Mine got me from Saxon Algebra II through AP Calculus AB, and I was sad when it finally died (after 10 years of use and about 100 accidental drops:D). I only used a graphing calculator on a very limited basis in AP Calculus. There is definitely NO need for a graphing calculator in Saxon Algebra II, but it is a "cool smart kid" accessory in my experience.

 

Though I think many of today's kids are needlessly calculator dependent, the focus of Algebra II should be the concepts, not the arithmetic, so calculator use is warranted. I remember classmates in calculus handing me their calculators and asking me to "punch it in" for them! These kids had NO idea what they were doing. They were surprised to find that the two of us who didn't have graphing calculators (we borrowed them occasionally) had the highest grades in the class.