Need a graphing calculator!

Chowdy · Sep 11, 2003

Well i'm in trig right now and with any luck i'll be taking AP calculus next year, so i want to get used to my graphing calc now when i have the chance so i don't waste time doing so next year. But the question is, which one? I was looking at the TI-83+ Silver and the TI-89. I can't really decide. The TI-89 is supposed to be so good at what it does that some classes don't let you use it because it's unfair (but that may or may not be true). Anyone here knowledgable in this?

Comparison of the Ti-83+ Silver and the Ti-89

OSUmaxx · Sep 11, 2003

If you want a calculator that does everything, get the 89. True, it won't be allowed in some tests because it does calc functions, but I'd still get it. I've used both the TI-89 and the HP 49G extensively in college engineering, and the 89 shines IMO.

nealric · Sep 11, 2003

ti-89 is the bomb!
It saved my life on th ap calc exam.
Therese kind of a learning curve, but once you get it, life is soo much easier.
I dont know of any stardardized test that dosent allow them. I know the AP and SATs allow them.

pik4chu · Sep 11, 2003

TI-89 is the bomb.. couple peeps in my college Calc class wrote some programs to simplify and solve complex derivatives

though I had no problems using my old TI-83. but the 89 is the ****nit for sure

Mr. $T$ · Sep 11, 2003

So what does the 89 have that the others don't, faster processor, more memory? I mean you can make programs that can solve anything Right?

DaveSauce · Sep 11, 2003

the 83 is NOT the way to go if you want calc.

The 86 is the MINIMUM that I would recommend. I've been using it for about 5 years now and I can't live without it, even though I have a shiny 89 available to use now. In other words, if you're going to college, I would definatley recommend getting an 89.

Personally, i haven't taken the time to learn my 89 yet, heh. I tried to do some basic math on it the other day (calculating vector magnitude) and the little ******* would not leave me alone about it's ()()()()()()()())().....it has a lot of quirks. For square root, you HAVE to have the argument in (X)....my 86 doesn't care....so I put away my 89 and did the math much faster with my 86.

Anyway, I would personally invest in the 89 if I were you. And take some time to learn it.....it's not as easy or straightforward as the 83 or 86.

hkgonra · Sep 11, 2003

But look how cheap you can get the TI-83 .

OfficeDepot has the Texas Instruments® TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator for $89 - $20 off $75 code 48265349 - $5 rebate = $64 w/ free shipping.

pik4chu · Sep 11, 2003

Mr. $T$ said:
So what does the 89 have that the others don't, faster processor, more memory? I mean you can make programs that can solve anything Right?

wrong. it does have more memory and faster proc. but thats mnor, what it does hhave is larger support for more advanced functions and calculations, ones that the 83 cant even consider.

But look how cheap you can get the TI-83 .

OfficeDepot has the Texas Instruments® TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator for $89 - $20 off $75 code 48265349 - $5 rebate = $64 w/ free shipping.

cheap crap is still crap

hehe

TI-83 is a high-school calculator, not a college one. though I admit I did college Calc with a TI-83 and passed, but it would be much easier with a better one.

stan03 · Sep 11, 2003

i take AP Calc right now and i can't imagine taking it with just my 83+. the 89 just does so much more. And, yes, since its allowed on the AP exam i would get it

. But about the SATs i think they were banned

. The 89 will help you alot and cut down on the time it takes to do problems since it can do pretty much every math function needed. Derrivatives, intergration, limits, solving for a variable, 3d graphing and way more. You can't go wrong with the 89 although some things are a little complicated. For the basic algebra stuff i sometimes go back to the 83+ since its way easier to use, buy IMO the 89 is almost a necessity for APcalc.

nealric · Sep 11, 2003

are you sure about 89 bannage?
I took the SAT last December with one.

stan03 · Sep 11, 2003

i am not positive, but i remember hearing something about it not allowed.

Chowdy · Sep 14, 2003

I've confirmed that it's not allowed on the ACT.

I don't really wanna risk spending $150 on a calc that *may* i may not be able to use on the SATs...

If i really need it in college i guess $150 in 2 years isn't *that* much of a problem. Everyone in my class has a ti-83, ti83+, or ti-83+ SE or earlier.. so i guess i could suffer along with em?

koontz946 · Sep 14, 2003

for trig, the 83+ is great (dont get the 83)... ive written countless programs that helped out SO much... but for calc the 89 is much better. i know for sure that the 83+ is allowed on the SATs, but im not positive about the 89 (you could check it out at www.collegeboard.com )... i would reccomend buying an 83+ now, then selling it to someone next year and getting the 89 (thats what i did

)... as to whether you get the silver edition or not, it doesnt really matter, there isnt much of a difference

my $0.02

beau_safken · Sep 15, 2003

Go the 86. Its a great calculator and also you can use it on SAT/ACT tests and other classes when you enter college. ITs a great tool and I would recommend it.

pik4chu · Sep 15, 2003

koontz946 said:
for trig, the 83+ is great (dont get the 83)... ive written countless programs that helped out SO much... but for calc the 89 is much better. i know for sure that the 83+ is allowed on the SATs, but im not positive about the 89 (you could check it out at www.collegeboard.com )... i would reccomend buying an 83+ now, then selling it to someone next year and getting the 89 (thats what i did )... as to whether you get the silver edition or not, it doesnt really matter, there isnt much of a difference

my $0.02

there's nothing wrong with a standard 83 other than that its just older.. I still use it to this day and have many programs that I wrote on there for everything for general Calc/Algebra to Subnet calculations (hehe..). just that 83+ are much more common now. as they have more memory or whatnot.

DaveSauce · Sep 15, 2003

actually, i checked the TI website the other day while looking for the manual for my 89, and the 89 is NOT banned from any of the major tests (including sat, psat, act, ap tests, etc).

The only calculators that are banned are those that have a QWERTY keyboard.....for security reasons at that. It's not to prevent prople from using calculator on the exam, it's to prevent people from recording the questions and taking them out from the exam with them. Much harder to do on an 89 which has an alphebetical keyboard.

koontz946 · Sep 15, 2003

pik4chu said:
there's nothing wrong with a standard 83 other than that its just older.. I still use it to this day and have many programs that I wrote on there for everything for general Calc/Algebra to Subnet calculations (hehe..). just that 83+ are much more common now. as they have more memory or whatnot.

just from my experience, the 83 standard doesnt have features that the 83+ has.... im not exactly sure which ones though, i think they have to do with graphing exponential equations or something.

kct2 · Sep 15, 2003

If you are going to be doing symbolic differential equations and integrals get the 89, or Voyage200, learn how to use it and you will be very happy. The other TI calculators cannot do symbolic calculus. They can do it with numbers, but not with symbols. I would stay away from the Voyage200 because of the keyboard and the issues associated with that.

If you think you will be doing any sort of calculus/engineering in college then do yourself a favor and get the 89. I got through college engineering with a TI-85, but often borrowed my roommates 89 for some of my more calculus intensive classes.

Tyl0r · Sep 15, 2003

I suggest you talk to your future professor/teacher/instructor and find out what can and cannot be used in class. In some schools they won't allow the use of a calculator outside of what's in they syllabus, my college alge-bra(named bra cause you burn the book after a stressful class caused by an instructor who says this is just like 2+2=28!) class was like that, so were my statistics classes. The Ti-83+ does have a few more functions in regards to how you can program it (language is still similar to BASIC, kinda like BASIC-- or something

) also some of the list functions are expanded in the 83+

However, if you're smart, you can program the 83+ to do some of the functions of the 86 and 89 calcs, but you don't get the more advanced operands/instruction sets.

*edit: oh, and the 83+ does have a alphanumeric function that can be used to type in notes, formulas, etc. and stored for later view. It takes a bit of time to input a whole set of notes, and besides you shouldn't do that cause it's wrong.

stan03 · Sep 15, 2003

Tyl0r said:
*edit: oh, and the 83+ does have a alphanumeric function that can be used to type in notes, formulas, etc. and stored for later view. It takes a bit of time to input a whole set of notes, and besides you shouldn't do that cause it's wrong.

i think by symbolic equations kct2 meant to actually do problems with symbols not actuall numbers. e.g. on the ti 89 you can solve 2a/5dp + 4k/2d6s for d. (random equation

)

Originally posted by pik4chu
*there's nothing wrong with a standard 83 other than that its just older.. I still use it to this day and have many programs that I wrote on there for everything for general Calc/Algebra to Subnet calculations (hehe..). just that 83+ are much more common now. as they have more memory or whatnot.

a huge difference is that 83+ can run apps and has flash rom. You definitely need that for some programs and not to mention games

Need a graphing calculator!

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