Calculator Recommendations for FE Exam

[KMurphy]

I've searched the literature for the most popular calculators, but can't find one the fills the requirements and is legal per NCEES.

Here are the minimum requirements:

trigonometric functions (standard and inverse)
hyperbolic functions
symbolic pi
square root and x^2
common and natural logarithms
y^x and e^x
extract roots of quadratic equations
conversion between polar and rectangular vectors
standard deviations and variances
determinants of 3x3 matrices
linear regression
basic economic and financial functions


Here are the disqualifiers:
QWERTY keyboard
NO Communication or IR port (this wipes out most all graphing calculators from HP and TI)
No noise
No text editing


Here are a few approved types: (I prefer logical data entry versus Reverse Polish Notation)
Casio:
? FX-115 MS PLUS
? FX-250 HC

Hewlett Packard:
? HP-9 series (this includes the HP-9g and HP-9s)
? HP-30s
? HP-32s
? HP-33s

Sharp:
? EL-506 VB
? EL-520 VB

Texas Instruments:
? TI-30 series (this includes the TI-30Xa, TI-30X IIB, TI-30X IIS, TI-34 II, TI-36X Solar, and TI-36X II Solar)

I would appreciate any feedback or recommendations you guys may have.

 

[pISSANt]

Oh, thats ***, I can't use my TI-85, ****.

 

[Gibson486]

I dont know what the FE exam is, but that stuff does not require a calculator at all.

ANyways, the Ti-83 plus should be more than enough, but that isnt allowd. Just get any scientific calc.

 

[PowerMacG5]

The Ti-89 fits the bill. It doesn't have any of the disqualifiers at least, but it's not on your approved list. The 89 will wipe your ass if you ask it nicely enough.

EDIT: Bah, it has the port on the bottom. How can they make that a disqualifier? You need a cable at least 4 feet long to communicate with someone next to you.

 

[Gibson486]

the ti-89 has text editing

 

[Howard]

The Casio fx-991ms plus should be able to do that stuff.

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
the ti-89 has text editing

Every calculator made recently that is more than four function has some form of text editing, whether rudementary or robust. Even the newer Ti-30's have A, B, C, D, and E letters. So you could create a code, and store it.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Marauder911

Originally posted by: Gibson486
the ti-89 has text editing

Every calculator made recently that is more than four function has some form of text editing, whether rudementary or robust. Even the newer Ti-30's have A, B, C, D, and E letters. So you could create a code, and store it.

I meant the ti 89 actually has a text editor in it. I am not talking about ABCD, I am talking about actual text editor here with every letter of the alphabet.

 

[Maximus96]

i just got my results from october test, i passed using a TI -36. solar power byotch!!

 

[KMurphy]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
I dont know what the FE exam is, but that stuff does not require a calculator at all.

ANyways, the Ti-83 plus should be more than enough, but that isnt allowd. Just get any scientific calc.

The FE exam is about speed and approach of solving different types of problems, not knowing how to manually crank out numbers.

The TI-89 also has a graph-link port, correct? That is a data I/O port and therefore not acceptable.

The TI-30 solar worked for you zaku? I'll have to look into that one.

BTW, here are explicitly illegal types (not an all inclusive list):

Casio:
? CFX9850+

Hewlett Packard:
? HP 41 series
? HP 42S
? HP 48 series
? HP 49G

Texas Instruments:
? TI-83, TI-83 Plus and TI-83 Plus Silver Edition
? TI-85
? TI-86
? TI-89
? TI-92
? TI Voyage 200

 

[Sukhoi]

Get an old TI-80 grapher! No communications port!