What Calculator Shall I Buy? Give me advice.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for calculators suitable for advanced calculus studies, particularly for a student transitioning from a TI-86. Participants share their experiences with various models and express preferences based on functionality, usability, and personal experience.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests the Casio CFX-9850GB Pluss as an excellent choice for calculus, highlighting its capabilities and recommending a short course for learning.
  • Several participants express satisfaction with the TI-89, noting its effectiveness in high school and college calculus, with one stating it serves as a reliable check for coursework.
  • Another participant questions the advantages of the TI-89 over other similarly priced calculators, seeking insights from those with experience using multiple models.
  • One participant mentions the potential limitation of calculator use during tests, suggesting that a student copy of Mathematica could be a viable alternative within the budget.
  • A participant shares their experience with the HP49G+, noting its speed and screen quality, while also mentioning a learning curve associated with its keyboard.
  • Another participant appreciates the TI-89's symbolic math functions and its ability to handle matrices efficiently, expressing overall satisfaction with its performance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on a single best calculator, as participants express differing preferences and experiences with various models, including the TI-89, Casio CFX-9850GB Pluss, and HP49G+. The discussion remains unresolved regarding which calculator is superior for advanced calculus.

Contextual Notes

Participants' recommendations are based on personal experiences, and there are varying opinions on functionality and usability. Some comments suggest that calculator use may be restricted in testing environments, which could influence purchasing decisions.

dividertabs
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By getting high enough grades, I got my mom to agree to buy me a calculator to upgrade from my TI-86. So what calculator should I buy? Currently I'm in math 252 (calculus 3rd semester), and I plan to continue studying calculus. I consider myself to be technologically proficient and I am willing to spend some time learning to use a good calculator.

I think my budget is about $200.
 
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Superb calculator sugesion

The calculator I bought a year ago does an amazing job in vertually all aspects of math (especially calculus). It is a Casio CFX-9850GB Pluss and I would recommend it to anyone, especially someone in your situation of looking to delve deaply into the wonderfully deap and complex world of calculs. It can even approximate any number in Eulers Defribulation Series up to 10 decimal places! (You'll understand this when you get into 4th year probably.) It does take a little learning, I recommend a short course at your local college to get you up to speed with the basics. I think they retail for around $US125 but well worth the $$ for this baby :cool: ! Enjoy!
 
I like my TI-89.

- Warren
 
My Ti-89 got me through high school calculus and helps serve as a check for the college courses I've taken.

Way better than the Ti-86 I had.
 
The TI-89 is probably the most obvious calculator, but can anyone elaborate on why I should choose it over similarly priced calculators made by different companies?
It would be great if someone who's used a few different calculators in advanced calculus would comment.
 
Well, you probably won't be allowed to use a hand calculator on a test anyway. For $200 you can probably get a student copy of Mathematica for your PC.

- Warren
 
i used a Ti-89 in high school.. and now I'm using an HP49G+

the hp is quicker (it seems), has a much nicer screen and personally, i just like it better

i cannot comment on the functionality, since i don't have the TI to compare with now and i suppose it should be obvious, but i am now using the HP to do much more complicated things than the TI... so my opinion may be slightly skewed

it may be a bit out of your price range, but it is a good buy.. the only thing that i don't like about it is the keyboard, it can be a bit of a pain to get used to
 
I can't compare either, but my TI-89 is all I've ever needed.

The symbolic math functions are very powerful, entering matrices and other information is a snap, and I like that it keeps such a long buffer (30 problems).

If only I could teach it to make me coffee in the morning...
 

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