- #91
bfr
- 49
- 0
rs1n said:
I don't know of any TI calculator that says or seems to indicate that -2^4=16.
Calculators Which calculator? Hp 50G vs Ti89 Titanium
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The discussion centers on choosing between the HP 50G and the TI-89 Titanium calculators for advanced math courses. Users highlight the HP's RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) feature, which some find efficient for complex calculations, while others prefer the TI-89 for its user-friendliness and extensive program availability. Many recommend the TI-89 for engineering and upper-level math due to its powerful CAS capabilities and support for various applications. The debate also touches on the learning curve of RPN versus traditional algebraic input, with proponents arguing that RPN aligns better with mathematical thinking. Ultimately, the choice depends on individual needs and preferences for specific functionalities in their studies.
I don't know of any TI calculator that says or seems to indicate that -2^4=16.
- #92
rs1n
- 179
- 2
bfr said:
Yes, you can get -2^4 = 16 if you use type "negative 2 ^ 4" using the (-) key as opposed to the "minus" key. Otherwise, I have several defective TI-85's.
- #93
bfr
- 49
- 0
Well, I don't have a TI-85 nor an emulator to confirm that, but I do have a TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, TI-86, Ti-89 Titanium, and a Voyage 200, and none of them will give me -2^4=16 by doing what you said. Maybe you're using an outdated operating system? The TI-85 itself is old anyway and is no longer really supported by TI. If it does really return 16, though, then that is pretty bad (I'm trying not to be biased towards TI calculators).
And, although I don't have a HP calculator to try RPN with, I did try an RPN calculator on the computer, and it didn't seem to be any faster. I probably have to get used to it, but still, it didn't seem like I was pressing less buttons or it was any more efficient. The way expressions are entered in TI calculators is also more similar how they would be written down on paper, which consequently would probably make it easier to copy expressions from a textbook or something. Also, note that there are programs for TI calculators that let expressions be entered in RPN..
Maybe I just don't how to use RPN efficiently and am not putting it to its potential, but I've read a lot about it and have experimented with it, and it didn't seem to be that good. Or, again, maybe I just need more experience with it.
And, although I don't have a HP calculator to try RPN with, I did try an RPN calculator on the computer, and it didn't seem to be any faster. I probably have to get used to it, but still, it didn't seem like I was pressing less buttons or it was any more efficient. The way expressions are entered in TI calculators is also more similar how they would be written down on paper, which consequently would probably make it easier to copy expressions from a textbook or something. Also, note that there are programs for TI calculators that let expressions be entered in RPN..
Maybe I just don't how to use RPN efficiently and am not putting it to its potential, but I've read a lot about it and have experimented with it, and it didn't seem to be that good. Or, again, maybe I just need more experience with it.
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- #94
rs1n
- 179
- 2
As far as I can tell, this does not show up in any of the recent TI calculators -- which is great. In that light, I don't have a problem with the distinction between (-) and - anymore with the TIs.
Regarding the book-like entry method, the HP48 (now more than 15 years old?) had the ability to enter in equations just like shown in the textbook via the Equation Writer. Granted, it is extremely slow compared to more modern calculators, but in the HP50G it should just as quick as competing models.
It's hard to get a good feel for RPN on a computer or emulator, in my opinion. The main reason is that you're using a computer keyboard for entry, which is MUCH easier to use than a custom (and to some, tiny) keyboard.
Regarding programs that enable RPN -- I think that's fantastic. However, I usually evaluate calculators based on their factory settings. With added software, it seems reasonable to assume that with enough memory, any calculator can be made equal to a competing model. The HP50G uses SD cards with capacities of up to 2 gigabytes. Its specs are at least comparable to any competing model. So one could argue that anything it lacks can be made up through software additions.
Back to RPN -- the main reason I support RPN is that it reinforces the order of operations. It is quite disappointing to see incoming undergraduates continually make mistakes having to do with order of operations. One would think that with that much education, something as basic as middle school mathematics should be mastered at that point.
Regarding the book-like entry method, the HP48 (now more than 15 years old?) had the ability to enter in equations just like shown in the textbook via the Equation Writer. Granted, it is extremely slow compared to more modern calculators, but in the HP50G it should just as quick as competing models.
It's hard to get a good feel for RPN on a computer or emulator, in my opinion. The main reason is that you're using a computer keyboard for entry, which is MUCH easier to use than a custom (and to some, tiny) keyboard.
Regarding programs that enable RPN -- I think that's fantastic. However, I usually evaluate calculators based on their factory settings. With added software, it seems reasonable to assume that with enough memory, any calculator can be made equal to a competing model. The HP50G uses SD cards with capacities of up to 2 gigabytes. Its specs are at least comparable to any competing model. So one could argue that anything it lacks can be made up through software additions.
Back to RPN -- the main reason I support RPN is that it reinforces the order of operations. It is quite disappointing to see incoming undergraduates continually make mistakes having to do with order of operations. One would think that with that much education, something as basic as middle school mathematics should be mastered at that point.
- #95
Phred101.2
- 138
- 0
An aside, but perhaps relevant to undergraduate math skills. I've met 3rd yrs who seem to have very poor English comprehension. I was asked once by such a student if I knew the difference between a noun and a verb. I didn't know what to say. In the end I said little, but I was thinking "it's probably a bit late now, dude, what do you expect me to tell you?"...
Education at the high school level appears to be slowly going down the tubes.
RPN is generally a lot fewer keystrokes and you keep an intermediate result, so you can look at the first part of some eqn. or formula and see if it looks like what it should, etc. Stack-based calculating just seems more natural somehow, once you get the hang of it (which took me about a day when I got my first HP calc, well, a few hours over the course of a day).
Education at the high school level appears to be slowly going down the tubes.
RPN is generally a lot fewer keystrokes and you keep an intermediate result, so you can look at the first part of some eqn. or formula and see if it looks like what it should, etc. Stack-based calculating just seems more natural somehow, once you get the hang of it (which took me about a day when I got my first HP calc, well, a few hours over the course of a day).
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- #96
choldstare
- 1
- 0
Hello! I am a sophmore year EE student who was in the same dillema as the OP. I went with the HP 50g. Now when people say you can't go wrong with the ti 89 they are absolutely correct. They are widely used and easy to figure out how to use. Now I was very excited about getting the HP 50g. I took a chance and said everyone has a 89 but i hear the hps are very good. And this time i was right. The RPN took me a day or two to get used to and now i never go back. Its faster and i have made very little typing errors. I got a 104 on my Circuit analyasis test thanks to this calculator. It was the highest grade in the class and the class avrege was 64. Ofcourse i studied a lot but without the calculator i would be trying to solve 3 variable linear complex number equations. And recently i found that this CAN DO LAPLACE TRANSFORMATIONS! the ti 89 CANNOT (theres plenty of software that allows it to do). And as an EE Laplace transforms will be a big part of my life. I hope this helped.
You can't go wrong buying either calculator. If you are lazy and don't want to do a lot of research finding how to work the HP 50g go for the ti 89. But if your wanting to get a little more of your calculator right off the box HP 50g might be the one for you.
Also the equation writer is very user friendly and makes plugging in long equations simple and easy to proofread.
You can't go wrong buying either calculator. If you are lazy and don't want to do a lot of research finding how to work the HP 50g go for the ti 89. But if your wanting to get a little more of your calculator right off the box HP 50g might be the one for you.
Also the equation writer is very user friendly and makes plugging in long equations simple and easy to proofread.
- #97
Phred101.2
- 138
- 0
P.S. For the budding CS student: there's a HPGCC cross-devel. platform for the HP calcs, so you can write your own OS, or turn your HP50 into a web browser, or lab instrument, or whatever. Haven't looked at what the TI has available...
- #98
bfr
- 49
- 0
Ti has TIGCC and http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/productDetail/us_sdk_89_92p.html for C programming. There are also other languages to program (besides that built-in on-calculator programming languages) such as TI-Power and the Multi-Platform Langauge for Calculators, which also works on some Casio calculators as well. And then, there is of course assembly, which their are multiple assemblers for that are specifically designed for TI-calculator programming - TASM, SPASM, Brass, DASM, and OTBP Assembler (which is an on-calculator assembler, so you can program in assembly directly on your calculator without having to type in hex codes).
Last edited by a moderator:
- #99
shinny_head
- 3
- 0
The Ti-89 may be easier to use at first. I have use HP calculators for years (1988)
I own 2 HP48SX, 1 HP48GX, 1 HP49G+ (a keyboard weenie), and I just ordered the
HP50G for my daughter. This calc is the keyboard fix for the 49G+.
Some schools and professors exclude the TI-89 use from tests.
My profs do not not know the POWER of the HP50.
The HP manual is not very good. But the google group comp.sys.hp48
and the www.hpcalc.org is the saving grace for calc. nubies
Many program available for download and best to use the SD ram card because
the computer connection is not easy to use.
You must struggle though the manual before asking questions.
The HP50 can work in ALG and RPN. I prefer RPN it is intuitive to the way I do math.
Programming is easy and the a much more powerful calculator.
BUT you must do some work to master it.
I found it worth the effort.
_________
Merry Christmas,
David
I own 2 HP48SX, 1 HP48GX, 1 HP49G+ (a keyboard weenie), and I just ordered the
HP50G for my daughter. This calc is the keyboard fix for the 49G+.
Some schools and professors exclude the TI-89 use from tests.
My profs do not not know the POWER of the HP50.
The HP manual is not very good. But the google group comp.sys.hp48
and the www.hpcalc.org is the saving grace for calc. nubies
Many program available for download and best to use the SD ram card because
the computer connection is not easy to use.
You must struggle though the manual before asking questions.
The HP50 can work in ALG and RPN. I prefer RPN it is intuitive to the way I do math.
Programming is easy and the a much more powerful calculator.
BUT you must do some work to master it.
I found it worth the effort.
_________
Merry Christmas,
David
- #100
56phil
- 1
- 0
You've narrowed your list to two very good choices. Here is my take on your choice.
To sum things up, both are very good machines. I recommend the hp because of its greater flexibility.
Regards,
Phil
- I have owned both. I still own the hp. I sold the ti to a physics teacher and she is very pleased with it.
- Each has its strengths (e.g. the ti does implicit differentiation with less hassle than the hp; one the other hand, the hp has stronger statistical functions).
- The hp is easier to program.
- The hp has a steeper learning curve.
- Once you know RPN you'll never want to use anything else on a calculator.
To sum things up, both are very good machines. I recommend the hp because of its greater flexibility.
Regards,
Phil
- #101
jkotecha
- 5
- 0
The Best of Both Worlds ...
I've had both HP50 and TI89. I did a lot of testing. Operations, Performance, Ease of Use. The best of both worlds is to run a modified OS on the TI89 that gives you all features as RPN. You get the extra performance of the TI89 (yes, it is faster!). And with the RPN interface data entry with the TI89 is much, much easier than the HP50.
I've had both HP50 and TI89. I did a lot of testing. Operations, Performance, Ease of Use. The best of both worlds is to run a modified OS on the TI89 that gives you all features as RPN. You get the extra performance of the TI89 (yes, it is faster!). And with the RPN interface data entry with the TI89 is much, much easier than the HP50.
- #102
neo6108
- 2
- 0
RPN or Algebraic Notation
Thought I'd throw in my two cents worth...
Calculators first started appearing back when I was attending Junior High School. My first calculator was a 4-banger purchased for $70 and all it did was add, subtract, multiply and divide and was larger in size then the HP-50g. I think it had a % function too but that was it. The first calculator how-to books taught one how to obtain the square root of a number just using those basic functions. My next calculator was a more advanced Rockwell scientific and then, a programmable TI 49 or something. I was in heaven! Then I purchased a used TI 51 or 52 that allowed one to pass a magnetic card through to load a program into the calculator or store a program onto the card. The TI 48 got me through High School but after starting College, I purchased an HP-15c Scientific Programmable and in minutes after learning RPN, I was sold. I'm now semi-retired and have just sold that HP-15C for around 3 times its original purchased price. I used it almost daily and it still functions perfectly as it makes its trip to India halfway around the world to a young math student. I've just replaced it with an HP 35s. The 35s allows RPN or Algebraic notation and after playing with the algebraic for a while, I found myself becoming totally frustrated and switching back to RPN.
So, this is a story about a guy who grew up using algebraic notation for years and leaving it behind forever in favor of RPN.
Enough said...
;)
P.S. That HP-15c helped make me quite a few $$$ throughout the years.
Thank you Hewlett Packard...
Thought I'd throw in my two cents worth...
Calculators first started appearing back when I was attending Junior High School. My first calculator was a 4-banger purchased for $70 and all it did was add, subtract, multiply and divide and was larger in size then the HP-50g. I think it had a % function too but that was it. The first calculator how-to books taught one how to obtain the square root of a number just using those basic functions. My next calculator was a more advanced Rockwell scientific and then, a programmable TI 49 or something. I was in heaven! Then I purchased a used TI 51 or 52 that allowed one to pass a magnetic card through to load a program into the calculator or store a program onto the card. The TI 48 got me through High School but after starting College, I purchased an HP-15c Scientific Programmable and in minutes after learning RPN, I was sold. I'm now semi-retired and have just sold that HP-15C for around 3 times its original purchased price. I used it almost daily and it still functions perfectly as it makes its trip to India halfway around the world to a young math student. I've just replaced it with an HP 35s. The 35s allows RPN or Algebraic notation and after playing with the algebraic for a while, I found myself becoming totally frustrated and switching back to RPN.
So, this is a story about a guy who grew up using algebraic notation for years and leaving it behind forever in favor of RPN.
Enough said...
;)
P.S. That HP-15c helped make me quite a few $$$ throughout the years.
Thank you Hewlett Packard...
- #103
neo6108
- 2
- 0
HP vs. TI vs. ?
I would like to present a fairly simple programming exercise that involves the Pythagorean theorem h = sqrt{x^2 + y^2}. H being equal to the length of the hypotenuse, x and y are the lengths of the other two sides. I will start everyone off with let's say 1000 points and make deductions based on total program lines, incorrect answers, and the number of keystrokes made external to the program itself. I will also deduct points for the order in which your results are returned to me. The first person returning their results gets no deductions. 2nd in loses 1 point, 3rd in loses 2 points and ect. I wrote a program on my HP-35s in 5 to 10 minutes and it took me around an hour to acquire the complete x,y,h data set. Your response back to me will be an email including:
1) your name (handle) used here in this forum
2) the make and model of the calculator you are using
3) the complete program you created for your particular calculator (numbered line by line)
4) a brief explanation of keystrokes external to the program needed to execute it
5) and last the compete listing of the data set
If there are no objections by the owner of this forum, then go ahead and send an email to me at rvdude@frontiernet.net stating that you want in. I will wait one week to give everyone a chance to enter who's interested and then say at exactly 6PM Arizona time on Monday the 25th of February, I will post the complete instructions of this exercise on this forum and it will end in one week or immediately after receiving the the last of all the entries. When you complete the exercise, email the results back to me at the address above, I will grade them and send all who've entered a copy of everyone's results. (should be interesting)
Good luck to all those who choose to participate and may the force be with you! (had to throw that one in, and I've dated myself...)
I would like to present a fairly simple programming exercise that involves the Pythagorean theorem h = sqrt{x^2 + y^2}. H being equal to the length of the hypotenuse, x and y are the lengths of the other two sides. I will start everyone off with let's say 1000 points and make deductions based on total program lines, incorrect answers, and the number of keystrokes made external to the program itself. I will also deduct points for the order in which your results are returned to me. The first person returning their results gets no deductions. 2nd in loses 1 point, 3rd in loses 2 points and ect. I wrote a program on my HP-35s in 5 to 10 minutes and it took me around an hour to acquire the complete x,y,h data set. Your response back to me will be an email including:
1) your name (handle) used here in this forum
2) the make and model of the calculator you are using
3) the complete program you created for your particular calculator (numbered line by line)
4) a brief explanation of keystrokes external to the program needed to execute it
5) and last the compete listing of the data set
If there are no objections by the owner of this forum, then go ahead and send an email to me at rvdude@frontiernet.net stating that you want in. I will wait one week to give everyone a chance to enter who's interested and then say at exactly 6PM Arizona time on Monday the 25th of February, I will post the complete instructions of this exercise on this forum and it will end in one week or immediately after receiving the the last of all the entries. When you complete the exercise, email the results back to me at the address above, I will grade them and send all who've entered a copy of everyone's results. (should be interesting)
Good luck to all those who choose to participate and may the force be with you! (had to throw that one in, and I've dated myself...)
- #104
kjsnavely
- 2
- 0
Ah, possibly the greatest question ever posed...TI-89T or HP50G.
I just happen to own both! Well, I am a physics major, and I was taking the typical Univ. Phys II course (Basic E/M, some thermo) and had decided it was long time I replaced my TI-84S with something a little more meatier. In high school, my friend had owned a 48GII (Actually, a series of three, as they broke and were [rapidly I might add!] replaced by HP) for two years and swore by the thing. I had grabbed it from him once, but had no experience with RPN or these strange fangled soft menus. I was in lust.
For two years the thought of an HP fermented in my head. When starting Physics II, I went out around town looking for a 50G, though I was largely undecided between the it and the 89T. I was moving soon and online purchases were out of the question. (Moving across the nation) I ended up happily picking up the 89T. I was elated! This thing was great! It was superior in entry, display, power, and everyday usage than the 84S by miles. I used it every day. TIBasic was easy to use, though a little different than on the 84S. (TI-Basic was my first programming language, and thus TI has forever a place in my heart. I now write C++/C code for money. C# for fun!) I think TI-Basic is a nice entry into programming if at a high-school or even college level so desired.
As I said I did always regret not getting an HP, and so in the second half of my sophomore year I decided to shell out the last of my student loan to purchase one. I happened upon it by chance, during a bored walkthrough of BestBuy...and there it was, looking me in the face. $20 overpriced, but glorious. I bought it.
I've had it for a month now, and am NEVER going to look back from RPN. When forced to use a friends ALG calc I find myself confused and frustrated for a minute, before I remember that I have to use parenthesis! Soft menu's make checking an integral a one button process, or taking factorials over and over, or seeing all my variables easily and accessing them quickly.
Why the HP50G is better than the TI89T:
The biggest advantage in my opinion is RPN. Writing out very complicated or tedious equations is almost foolproof. You can't know until you experience it.
Another nice thing over the 89T is I find the functions and superfunctions on keys are MUCH easier to read than the 89T's. On the 50G, the colors are white, yellow, and orange on a black background. The 89T uses light green, light blue, and silver on a grey background. What the hell TI!? I've had this thing for a year and a half and still have to search for blue superfunctions and silver letters. The green is only used about ten times. (Which, to me, seems wasted.) The buttons on the HP are stiffer and feel sturdier than the 89T's, though the 89T's are not really flawed.
The screen on the HP has better contrast and I find it much easier to read at an angle (like on a table next to your textbook) than the TI's. The TI tends to get garbled when viewing from much of an angle.
A freaking SD card slot! 2GB of memory! Whoa!
You will feel like the world's most awesome powernerd with this sexy device. It looks bad ass.
Some points for the TI:
One thing I have noticed is that when you do make a mistake in RPN mode, say 8 calculations back, you are screwed. To clarify: Nothing is on the stack, everything has been operated upon leaving you with a number. Then you realize, crap, that should have been e^-x not e^x. On my TI, you just flip up the history, copy it, and change x to -x. ( (-x) people!) Enter and BOOM! done. On the HP you pretty much just start the calculation over. There may be a way around this, as I am still learning the features in RPN mode. If anyone can do this, I would like to know how.
There is a huge and constantly growing library of applications for the TI89T, and sadly the library for the HP50G is much smaller. I have not yet had the pleasure of programming in SysRPL (One of the 50G languages.) but I shall do so this weekend! (I desire a turn-based wargame for the 50G.)
With the 50G, you get a leather case. It's really quite nice! However, smashed between some textbooks, buttons can be pressed, by chance turning your calculator on, wasting batteries. TI's have a spartan but effective hard plastic case. Importantly though, this has only happened once, when my calculator ended up on the bottom of a lot of weight. It has never happened just sitting in my backpack running around campus.
Some maybe-not-so moot points:
Who gives a crap if it takes 4 seconds vs. 1 second to do anything. Sure, if the TI took a minute to do something that takes an instance on the HP I would nag about it, but that is almost no difference at all. This could only really happen when running a program or using the CAS for a tricky problem--Speaking of CAS, however, the integrals and derivatives I've taken on both lead me to believe the CAS of both calc's is very strong. I believe the HP's is much easier to use with the VX + soft menu setup. Operations are one button away! I don't know which is really stronger because I do all my Calc/DiffEq the the best calculator...good ol' No. 2. Having Laplace Transforms is a HUUUUUUUUGE advantage for the HP though. Seriously. You never need a table again.
Some people might not care, but in the end I felt like my TI is this really great tool, which I can crank things out on, etc. The HP feels "cooler" and feels like an extension of myself. RPN is very similar to how one thinks when solving a problem. It's physical and software layout makes it seem more like a serious machine than the TI.In the end, if you just want a calculator for class that is great and easy to use with tons of support, go with the TI89T. It's serious about what it does.
If you are like me, someone who maybe likes calculators a little too much...who gets permission to take advanced classes, likes to think about problems, and attends colloquiums, then slap on a giant grin and go out and buy that sweet calculating machine known as the HP50G.
Either calculator is awesome. Ask a professor if you can use his HP48, (Because, that is what he will have.) and see how you like it. You can borrow the TI89T from your friendly social science major. You decide.
I just happen to own both! Well, I am a physics major, and I was taking the typical Univ. Phys II course (Basic E/M, some thermo) and had decided it was long time I replaced my TI-84S with something a little more meatier. In high school, my friend had owned a 48GII (Actually, a series of three, as they broke and were [rapidly I might add!] replaced by HP) for two years and swore by the thing. I had grabbed it from him once, but had no experience with RPN or these strange fangled soft menus. I was in lust.
For two years the thought of an HP fermented in my head. When starting Physics II, I went out around town looking for a 50G, though I was largely undecided between the it and the 89T. I was moving soon and online purchases were out of the question. (Moving across the nation) I ended up happily picking up the 89T. I was elated! This thing was great! It was superior in entry, display, power, and everyday usage than the 84S by miles. I used it every day. TIBasic was easy to use, though a little different than on the 84S. (TI-Basic was my first programming language, and thus TI has forever a place in my heart. I now write C++/C code for money. C# for fun!) I think TI-Basic is a nice entry into programming if at a high-school or even college level so desired.
As I said I did always regret not getting an HP, and so in the second half of my sophomore year I decided to shell out the last of my student loan to purchase one. I happened upon it by chance, during a bored walkthrough of BestBuy...and there it was, looking me in the face. $20 overpriced, but glorious. I bought it.
I've had it for a month now, and am NEVER going to look back from RPN. When forced to use a friends ALG calc I find myself confused and frustrated for a minute, before I remember that I have to use parenthesis! Soft menu's make checking an integral a one button process, or taking factorials over and over, or seeing all my variables easily and accessing them quickly.
Why the HP50G is better than the TI89T:
The biggest advantage in my opinion is RPN. Writing out very complicated or tedious equations is almost foolproof. You can't know until you experience it.
Another nice thing over the 89T is I find the functions and superfunctions on keys are MUCH easier to read than the 89T's. On the 50G, the colors are white, yellow, and orange on a black background. The 89T uses light green, light blue, and silver on a grey background. What the hell TI!? I've had this thing for a year and a half and still have to search for blue superfunctions and silver letters. The green is only used about ten times. (Which, to me, seems wasted.) The buttons on the HP are stiffer and feel sturdier than the 89T's, though the 89T's are not really flawed.
The screen on the HP has better contrast and I find it much easier to read at an angle (like on a table next to your textbook) than the TI's. The TI tends to get garbled when viewing from much of an angle.
A freaking SD card slot! 2GB of memory! Whoa!
You will feel like the world's most awesome powernerd with this sexy device. It looks bad ass.
Some points for the TI:
One thing I have noticed is that when you do make a mistake in RPN mode, say 8 calculations back, you are screwed. To clarify: Nothing is on the stack, everything has been operated upon leaving you with a number. Then you realize, crap, that should have been e^-x not e^x. On my TI, you just flip up the history, copy it, and change x to -x. ( (-x) people!) Enter and BOOM! done. On the HP you pretty much just start the calculation over. There may be a way around this, as I am still learning the features in RPN mode. If anyone can do this, I would like to know how.
There is a huge and constantly growing library of applications for the TI89T, and sadly the library for the HP50G is much smaller. I have not yet had the pleasure of programming in SysRPL (One of the 50G languages.) but I shall do so this weekend! (I desire a turn-based wargame for the 50G.)
With the 50G, you get a leather case. It's really quite nice! However, smashed between some textbooks, buttons can be pressed, by chance turning your calculator on, wasting batteries. TI's have a spartan but effective hard plastic case. Importantly though, this has only happened once, when my calculator ended up on the bottom of a lot of weight. It has never happened just sitting in my backpack running around campus.
Some maybe-not-so moot points:
Who gives a crap if it takes 4 seconds vs. 1 second to do anything. Sure, if the TI took a minute to do something that takes an instance on the HP I would nag about it, but that is almost no difference at all. This could only really happen when running a program or using the CAS for a tricky problem--Speaking of CAS, however, the integrals and derivatives I've taken on both lead me to believe the CAS of both calc's is very strong. I believe the HP's is much easier to use with the VX + soft menu setup. Operations are one button away! I don't know which is really stronger because I do all my Calc/DiffEq the the best calculator...good ol' No. 2. Having Laplace Transforms is a HUUUUUUUUGE advantage for the HP though. Seriously. You never need a table again.
Some people might not care, but in the end I felt like my TI is this really great tool, which I can crank things out on, etc. The HP feels "cooler" and feels like an extension of myself. RPN is very similar to how one thinks when solving a problem. It's physical and software layout makes it seem more like a serious machine than the TI.In the end, if you just want a calculator for class that is great and easy to use with tons of support, go with the TI89T. It's serious about what it does.
If you are like me, someone who maybe likes calculators a little too much...who gets permission to take advanced classes, likes to think about problems, and attends colloquiums, then slap on a giant grin and go out and buy that sweet calculating machine known as the HP50G.
Either calculator is awesome. Ask a professor if you can use his HP48, (Because, that is what he will have.) and see how you like it. You can borrow the TI89T from your friendly social science major. You decide.
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- #105
Count Iblis
- 1,858
- 8
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- #106
- #107
md5fungi
- 24
- 0
just ordered my HP 50g a couple days ago! 
am i a total nerd if I've been using the emulator obsessively and can't wait for it to arrive?
hope it arrives during spring break. i think that doubles my nerdiness quotient right there...
am i a total nerd if I've been using the emulator obsessively and can't wait for it to arrive?
hope it arrives during spring break. i think that doubles my nerdiness quotient right there...
- #108
stephen92
- 7
- 0
Quadratic regression on HP 50g Calc help!
I went against the will of my school and just bought a new HP 50g Calculator. I Love RPN! However to my horror it does notseem to do quadratic regression. Now my teacher is pressuring me into using one of her TI's. I really, really, can't stand TI's since i have gotten used to rpn. Does any7one know how to make the thing do quadratic regression?
I went against the will of my school and just bought a new HP 50g Calculator. I Love RPN! However to my horror it does notseem to do quadratic regression. Now my teacher is pressuring me into using one of her TI's. I really, really, can't stand TI's since i have gotten used to rpn. Does any7one know how to make the thing do quadratic regression?
- #109
Count Iblis
- 1,858
- 8
stephen92 said:
Can you do linear regression with multiple variables? I.e.
y = a0 + a1 x1 + a2 x2 + ...
Then what you do is you just put x1 = x, x2 = x^2 where x is the x-datapoint.
If you can only do linear regresson with one variable, then you could just write a simple program to do the regression.
- #110
only_huce
- 62
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Calculators aren't very useful in linear algebra. At least they won't let you use them at some universities. It depends on how your course is. The one which my friend is taking right now is mostly theoretical so calculators have little to no use.
As for calculas II make life easy on yourself and just use a TI-84, you don't need to use such advanced calculators for a lower level math course. Also from personal experience, I know that people who used TI-89's for calculas II paid for it later on, because they relied too heavily on their calculators and didn't focus on learning the material as well.
But if it comes down to it I've heard you can't go wrong with a TI-89, this is from an engineering perspective however, it all depends on what field of work your math course is oriented towards.
As for calculas II make life easy on yourself and just use a TI-84, you don't need to use such advanced calculators for a lower level math course. Also from personal experience, I know that people who used TI-89's for calculas II paid for it later on, because they relied too heavily on their calculators and didn't focus on learning the material as well.
But if it comes down to it I've heard you can't go wrong with a TI-89, this is from an engineering perspective however, it all depends on what field of work your math course is oriented towards.
- #111
binzing
- 280
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What would be a good price and place to get a TI 89 at. The stores here all charge around $150 and we are looking for cheaper.
- #112
only_huce
- 62
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I think Sam's Club or Costco sells them for like $10 less but generally they're usually around the $150 area. You can thank the TI's monopoly on graphing calculators for that.
- #113
bfr
- 49
- 0
You might want to consider the newer http://www.ti-nspire.com/tools/nspire/index.html for about the same price as a TI-89 Titanium. The TI-Nspire CAS doesn't really have good support for programming and lacks in a few areas (I forgot, but I think it might not have good support for 3-D and maybe a few other things, but it is constantly improving).
In terms of hardware specifications, it totally blows away any other graphing calculators from any company. It has 36MB of usable memory, a 320 x 240 grayscale screen, and an ARM processor with a speed of around 150Mhz (this is still unsure, though).
In terms of hardware specifications, it totally blows away any other graphing calculators from any company. It has 36MB of usable memory, a 320 x 240 grayscale screen, and an ARM processor with a speed of around 150Mhz (this is still unsure, though).
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- #114
Count Iblis
- 1,858
- 8
I have a better idea. Why not buy one of these handheld computers as bfr suggested. And then simply connect to your pc at home via the internet (using e.g. VNC). Install Mathematica on your pc and off you go! 
- #115
Prologue
- 183
- 1
binzing said:
Check ebay, I got an older style TI89, of course just the same calculator as the new one minus extra memory, for 60$ shipped (buy it now).
- #116
binzing
- 280
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Umm how about the fact that this is for my dad, who doesn't have a computer at home, let alone internet.
Prologue, sounds good, we were looking there.
Prologue, sounds good, we were looking there.
- #117
aetherguy881
- 7
- 0
I'd like to say, thank you for creating this thread and keeping the debate going. After reading this, I've decided to go for the 50g. One of my friends has been bugging for me to get it, and I've kind of felt a little lost with the 89, it doesn't seem as what I had expected when I've been on an 83+ since 6th grade.
- #118
kjsnavely
- 2
- 0
Hello all, checking about my hp50g as sophomore year winds down.
Absolute best buy I've made all year. I am in love with my calculator. RPN is worth the money alone. You have no idea how frustrated I get when I have to use a non-RPN calculator. I have yet to find many things the calc cannot do. The menu's are natural, and the CAS is very strong. The manual you get with the calc is pretty slim, but a plethora of information is available online. Graphing capability is excellent. I'm finding new things to use it for every day. The only time I touched my TI's in the past semester was to get batteries for my TV remote.
Buy the HP.
Absolute best buy I've made all year. I am in love with my calculator. RPN is worth the money alone. You have no idea how frustrated I get when I have to use a non-RPN calculator. I have yet to find many things the calc cannot do. The menu's are natural, and the CAS is very strong. The manual you get with the calc is pretty slim, but a plethora of information is available online. Graphing capability is excellent. I'm finding new things to use it for every day. The only time I touched my TI's in the past semester was to get batteries for my TV remote.
Buy the HP.
- #119
Undergrad-ME
- 9
- 0
I own the ti-89, the HP 50G, and the 48Gx. I was a TI fan before but since I converted to RPN, I never looked back. One thing I missed about the ti-89 was the historial display since it allows you to check what you keyed in ( time saving for checking answers during a test).
One thing I don't like about the 50G is the power consumption, I have to change my bat's every 3 weeks...
One thing I don't like about the 50G is the power consumption, I have to change my bat's every 3 weeks...
- #120
aerosmithcoop
- 4
- 0
Which is better for physics i really don't care that RPN is a feature (no offense i do like it its just not that important to me) all i care about is the mathematical features
so which is better for physics (obviously including trig)and algebra
hope i get a response
so which is better for physics (obviously including trig)and algebra
hope i get a response
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