What's the calculator that would be useful for first year college calculus and beyond?

[yankeesfan]

Is the TI-89 necessary? I barely used my TI-83, which I recently lost, in my high school calc class.

 

[drinkmorejava]

uhhh, you generally don't get to use a calculator for college calc. I use my 89 a lot for my engineering classes though.

 

[RedArmy]

For Calculus I you don't really need a calculator unless your obsessive about checking your work. I have a TI-83 and I've barely touched it unless I wanted to check powers of numbers or something like that. Calc II and beyond it may be a bit more practical but I'm doubting something as advanced as a TI-89 will be needed...unless you plan to major in math.

 

[yankeesfan]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
uhhh, you generally don't get to use a calculator for college calc. I use my 89 a lot for my engineering classes though.

I meant engineering classes when I said "and beyond". Sorry.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

They actually don't let us use calculators for Calculus I and II.

 

[aka1nas]

Get a TI-89. I would have passed 2 or 3 math classes the first time in college if I hadn't been the doof who cheaped out on a TI-86.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
uhhh, you generally don't get to use a calculator for college calc. I use my 89 a lot for my engineering classes though.

I meant engineering classes when I said "and beyond". Sorry.

It was pretty much required in my calc II class. Just means the jerk of a professor gives you twice as many problems on the test.

 

[esun]

TI-89 is extremely valuable. Buy one and it'll last a long time, too, so it's really a pretty worthwhile investment.

 

[novasatori]

I had an 86 and it broke mid semester of Calc, I figured I might as well get an 89 since it had USB and the 86 was aging...
Man I use it for everything now, it can be programed or what not to suit almost any class.

Definitely best $120(?) I've spent in college.

 

[WildHorse]

...but before you spend on that TI 89, first also look at the HP 50G. Link

The TI 89 is probably used more widely in schools,

but in the real world

the HP is the engineering & scientific calculator of choice.

I'm buying an HP 33s to replace my HP 41CV.

 

[GMI]

another for the 89. best bucks I ever spend. And if you take care of it, it can be hand down or resale. I'm sure its second hand value isn't bad. I got mine back in 2000, still kicking

 

[aka1nas]

The thing about the 89 is that it is the most capable calculator that they will let you use on tests for the SAT, AP exams, and most college math classes. It technically is a Computer-based Algebra System (CAS) which is what they usually prohibit on tests. For whatever reason, the 89 usually is on the list of approved models, though.

 

[Minjin]

HP 48G. The only thing that TIs are good for is graphing and statistics.

 

[drinkmorejava]

Originally posted by: Minjin
HP 48G. The only thing that TIs are good for is graphing and statistics.

Speaking of stats, the stats app for the 89 is amazing. I'll have to look at the HPs some day though, I always figured someone had to be buying them if they're still make them.

 

[soydios]

TI-89 is vastly superior to the TI-83 at Calculus

 

[NatePo717]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
uhhh, you generally don't get to use a calculator for college calc. I use my 89 a lot for my engineering classes though.

:thumbsup:

If a calculator was needed at all we could only use a standard scientific calculator. Fortunately most of our tests were designed so you didn't need to do stuff that would need a calculator. Getting the theory is the big part. Actually computing numbers is trivial in comparison.

 

[msparish]

TI-89 was worthless for nearly every one of my math classes (couldn't use it on exams). However, for many of my physics classes it came in quite handy.

 

[Rubycon]

Text

 

[TheGizmo]

def get the 89, if you get the 86 one day you will end up having to upgrade to the 89... its worth every penny. you can get one for less than 100 bux on ebay. i got mine for 90 on ebay and 5 years later after finishing all schooling for life i sold it for $105

 

[SoLiDus88]

If you know how to use the ti-89 (which requires you to actually know the math your doing), it can cut down on calculation times dramatically. But usually, for pure math classes, calculators aren't really necessary. But engineering (especially EE) classes usually allow them.

 

[imported_Tick]

At my school, you can use an 89 in calc 1. Great for checking your answers durring a test.

 

[dug777]

HP 33s FTW

RPN>*

 

[potoba]

I hate all the TIs. I went through colleges without a graphing calculator. The most expensive one i bought was a casio which costed me 10 bucks. It lasted like 10 years or so until my student borrowed it from me and never returned it back. I miss my calculator!

 

[thepd7]

you can find a crapped out (read scrathed, etc) ti-89 for $50-60 on the forums or ebay, I did. Still works great, used it for 3 years of engineering school. I could sell it for the exact same I paid or more but I am keeping it.

So that's another vote for ti-89.

 

[dug777]

Did i mention the HP 33s?

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm...-215348-64232-20037-215351-370805.html

Or you could pick up a used HP32sII for a small fortune, a HP is a great investment it seems...