plansrme Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 I have a student doing Algebra 2 in high school this year, and he is going to struggle. I am reviewing Algebra 2 using my old ChalkDust books so I can help him, but because I am jumping into 2 and skipping 1, I've missed all of the "here's how to operate a graphing calculator" lessons. I mostly remember Algebra 1 but, of course, there was no GC when I did it--you know, back when we wrote equations out on the walls of the cave by the the light of the fire. And I never learned as my kids did. So--I am looking for a quick and dirty intro to graphing calculators. Any recommendations? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 The easiest ones to use are also the cheapest - the apps for phones. Obviously, they aren't allowed on tests because students could use other apps to cheat, but they're so much easier. There are plenty of youtube tutorials for every graphing calculator out there though. I'd just get the perennially overpriced TI-84. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 These are for the TI84 plus cheatsheet https://www.dummies.com/education/graphing-calculators/ti-84-plus-graphing-calculator-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/ main page https://www.dummies.com/education/graphing-calculators/ 114 pages pdf by Cengage/Houghton Miffin https://college.cengage.com/mathematics/latorre/calculus_concepts/4e/assets/students/gcp/latorre_4e_grcalcguide.pdf 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 The TI-84 series is the one commonly used in U.S. High Schools. There are some very weird things about using it. I forget what those things are. I bought the "Dummies" book for the TI-84 Plus for my DD when I bought the calculator from Amazon. She thanked me for buying that book... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted August 17, 2021 Author Share Posted August 17, 2021 9 hours ago, Farrar said: The easiest ones to use are also the cheapest - the apps for phones. Obviously, they aren't allowed on tests because students could use other apps to cheat, but they're so much easier. There are plenty of youtube tutorials for every graphing calculator out there though. I'd just get the perennially overpriced TI-84. That is what they all have; I just don't know how to anything on it. I need a graphic calculator tutor, which is just the dumbest thing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not_a_Number Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 Why does he need a graphing calculator for Algebra 2? I vastly prefer teaching that material without a graphing calculator. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted August 17, 2021 Author Share Posted August 17, 2021 1 minute ago, Lanny said: The TI-84 series is the one commonly used in U.S. High Schools. There are some very weird things about using it. I forget what those things are. I bought the "Dummies" book for the TI-84 Plus for my DD when I bought the calculator from Amazon. She thanked me for buying that book... There is literally a GC for Dummies book? Ha--I did not know that. I'll look for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted August 17, 2021 Author Share Posted August 17, 2021 Just now, Not_a_Number said: Why does he need a graphing calculator for Algebra 2? I vastly prefer teaching that material without a graphing calculator. Because the teachers make him. I presume so they will be ready for pre-calc? I dunno. But I do not disagree with you at all. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not_a_Number Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 Just now, plansrme said: Because the teachers make him. I presume so they will be ready for pre-calc? I dunno. But I do not disagree with you at all. Grr. How annoying. I hope you figure out how to operate them soon, then! I am also pretty much a graphing calculator novice... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 6 minutes ago, plansrme said: There is literally a GC for Dummies book? Ha--I did not know that. I'll look for it. The library would probably have a copy https://www.amazon.com/Ti-84-Plus-Graphing-Calculator-Dummies/dp/1118592158 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 7 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said: Why does he need a graphing calculator for Algebra 2? I vastly prefer teaching that material without a graphing calculator. My kids were supposed to get them for Algebra II at Mr. D's Math. IIRC, they used the graphing part (calculators in general were allowed) for only one chapter. Or part of one chapter. I remember because I was annoyed that they wanted us to pay that much for something that really wasn't needed. But with the thinking that they'd have to get them eventually, I don't mind them being introduced. The thing is... I assume a lot of kids just kept using them throughout for work they should have done without them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted August 19, 2021 Share Posted August 19, 2021 My kid needed it for Calculus and it was a very steep learning curve. He much prefers a $5 Casio for daily use. mine would Google tutorials on TI and grumble over awkwardness of it. He says there are a ton of videos free online to learn how to use it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 On 8/16/2021 at 5:45 PM, plansrme said: Because the teachers make him. I presume so they will be ready for pre-calc? The textbook should have the calculator instructions sections e.g. page 150-153 http://math.citrusschools.org/files/CurriculumResources/Alg2Hon/Algebra 2 Honors Companion TE 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 4 hours ago, Arcadia said: The textbook should have the calculator instructions sections e.g. page 150-153 http://math.citrusschools.org/files/CurriculumResources/Alg2Hon/Algebra 2 Honors Companion TE Yes. The textbooks usually have the instructions relevant to each chapter- the calculator also comes with a tiny user manual that is good for getting started. The rest is available in great detail on YouTube as video instructions (just do a search on YT like “curve fitting using ti calculator”) … 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) They really should have a good, easy to use calculator by now. The one I had in high school was superior to the ones out there now. (Late 80's model, I forget the brand.) We have, against our will really, a TI-84, it required getting the for dummies book and a lot of practice. I outsourced calculator practice to my husband, even with the for dummies book. And then, he took over homeschooling Algebra 2, too!! My son also has 2 different Casios, both under $20, that he likes for different things. Finally, he has a $5 or $10 generic simple "backup calculator." He is dual homeschool/public schooled and the schools use the TI-84 but will check one out to you if you can't afford to buy one or don't want to buy one. His algebra 2 teacher was terrible, so we homeschooled that but kept the calculator (we purchased our own.) His pre-calc teacher seems better, we'll see how this year goes. He brought the TI-84 and his favorite Casio to his SAT test, the Casio is easier to use for most things. The Casios are scientific but not graphing. Most of the schools and big SAT companies swear by the TI-84 but it's a pain. There are many students who did well on the SAT who use Casios instead, or both like my son. The Casios are more user friendly and quicker for most operations, but they have a few quirks, too. Both my calculator from high school and my husband's from college (he still has it and it still works!) are easier to use than anything but our son's generic back-up calculator. Edited August 20, 2021 by ElizabethB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 I vaguely remember using a TI-89 in high school for Calculus. I don't know why "they" (I assume the government whoever chooses what needs to be learned in PS). It wasn't that hard to use - there's a shift button and a green diamond button to help you get to multiple functions on the keys. You could do some programming in it, which I found minimally useful in real life. In adulthood, even when I had a STEM job I only used it to do arithmetic. It was nice that it had a big screen that kept track of my answers. The analog buttons were nice because I could use it without looking at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 forgot to add, one of the first things that my son figured out on his Ti-84 calculator was how to install pacman, tetris and pokemon games on it 😉 We make him delete all of them whenever he takes it to an exam because he is the kind of kid who will finish quickly and play a game on his calculator. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 9 minutes ago, mathnerd said: forgot to add, one of the first things that my son figured out on his Ti-84 calculator was how to install pacman, tetris and pokemon games on it 😉 We make him delete all of them whenever he takes it to an exam because he is the kind of kid who will finish quickly and play a game on his calculator. I didn’t 🤣 My teens installed PacMan on their TI84 CE for me to play PacMan. Same for Tetris. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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