Graphing calculators

[klmama]

My dc in Algebra 2 is getting some math tutoring, and the tutor wants dc to learn how to use a graphing calculator to better visualize the graphs; that's a huge part of the Algebra 2 course at the local public school, which is what the tutor is most familiar with.  We own a graphing calculator that's ACT approved, but none of my dc has ever used it; they've always used scientific calculators.  In their college math classes graphing calculators weren't allowed at all.  I'm wondering if the time spent learning to use it will be worthwhile, particularly for using on the ACT, or if dc is better off just moving forward without it.  Thoughts?

[stripe]

How much time is the tutor suggesting be spent on the calculator? They could get an overview in an hour. I can’t imagine it would take more than, let’s be generous and say five hours to get a very thorough understanding and practice in graphing calculators, so it doesn’t seem like it would be a huge amount of time wasted if the ACT or other tests are designed to include heavy calculator use. I don’t see this as a giant investment in time.

[UmmIbrahim]

At a certain level (after a solid foundation exists and they aren't serving as a crutch), graphing calculators are wonderful! We have a basic TI-84 Plus, and my middle son has really learned to love using it this year in his calculus class. In the past, he was more comfortable using the desmos website because he hadn't quite been forced to use his graphing calculator and to get over the small learning curve. This year, his teacher taught all kinds of cool calculator tricks and got him really comfortable with using it. Now, he loves it. It has really helped to build a stronger sense of functions and their behaviors and he's developing a much stronger graphical sense that ties in wonderfully with work on paper. It has definitely built his math intuition.

Even ignoring all of the graphical skills that he's built using it, it's also just nicer to use for basic computations as well. It's easy to see any typos and very easy to scroll back to a previous answer and rework a calculation. I can't see him ever going back to a basic scientific calculator because you lose so much functionality.

It's interesting that they can't use calculators in their college math classes! My kids have absolutely had to use a graphing calculator in their DE classes (everything precalculus and above). I'm so surprised to hear that they haven't been allowed in your kids' classes. I guess there are all kinds of different courses/professors/methods out there. 

Since you already have it floating around anyway, I don't think it would hurt to spend 30 minutes to an hour watching some YouTube videos to see how to use it. I'm only sad that I didn't get my middle son doing that earlier!

[regentrude]

The best way to familiarize oneself with graphs is through graphing by hand. The tutor should teach her how to sketch the basic shape of graphs. That has way more effect than punching a formula in and seeing the shape on screen.

Graph discussion, including determining of zeroes and asymptomatic behavior, should be a major part of algebra 2, but in my experience,  doing this on the calculator doesn't teach the students anything.

College math classes often do not allow calculators on tests.

[LinRTX]

I think at the Algebra 2 level, doing the graphs by hand actually teaches the graphs. My daughter who is a finishing her junior year at college as a math major has never used a graphing calculator. Her classes only allow certain scientific calculators. My daughter did the SAT, not ACT but I think the math is comparable. I really don't think a graphing calculator is necessary .

 

[regentrude]

50 minutes ago, stripe said:

 if the ACT or other tests are designed to include heavy calculator use. 

The only test that requires graphing calculators is AP calc. The ACT, SAT, and math subject SAT don't need a calculator at all.

[stripe]

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

The only test that requires graphing calculators is AP calc. The ACT, SAT, and math subject SAT don't need a calculator at all.

Fascinating! (I took AP calc before a graphing calculator was required!) I had a really nice scientific, non-graphing calculator that allowed the user to program formulas, and it's gone missing -- I miss it so....

[RootAnn]

@klmamaI suggest moving forward without it. Kids get dependent on the graphing calculator very easily & while it is quicker to use it than to do things by habd, you get better understanding doing it manually, IMO.

At dd#1's university,  they don't allow graphing calculators on exams. Some kids who took AP Calc AB with As failed the "easy" retake of 1st semester Calc, IMO, because they didn't understand the fundamentals. Too much reliance on calculators! (There are always other reasons, too.)

DH & I made it through engineering degrees without graphing calculators -- and all of my friends used theirs constantly. I borrowed one every few weeks when I wanted to double check a graph or used a computer graphing program for my real life engineering calculations.

[regentrude]

41 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

DH & I made it through engineering degrees without graphing calculators

both my kids got through their physics degrees (which involve tons of math) without ever touching one.

[Arcadia]

I would not want a tutor who depend on a graphing calculator to tutor unless the tutor is helping the child complete the questions in the math textbook that are explicitly for calculator practice. 
 

The AP calculus exam does have one or two questions that need a graphing calculator. However my kids community college teachers all do not allow calculators. It is easier for equity too as community college has plenty of scientific calculators to loan out if need be but a limited supply of graphing calculators. 
 

Graphing by hand is useful not only in math but also in physics, chemistry and economics. 

[daijobu]

Consider which standardized tests your student plans to take, and use a calculator that is approved for those.   No need to learn how to use 2 different calculators.  

[Not_a_Number]

On 4/12/2021 at 7:44 AM, regentrude said:

The best way to familiarize oneself with graphs is through graphing by hand. The tutor should teach her how to sketch the basic shape of graphs. That has way more effect than punching a formula in and seeing the shape on screen.

Graph discussion, including determining of zeroes and asymptomatic behavior, should be a major part of algebra 2, but in my experience,  doing this on the calculator doesn't teach the students anything.

College math classes often do not allow calculators on tests.

Yep. This. Graphing should be done by hand. You start working point by point and work up from there. But the “point by point” work is absolutely essential for getting the mental model right.