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Which calculator for college?

L

Layzie310

Senior member
I'm going to college in a few weeks and I need to get a new graphing calculator. I'm choosing between the TI-86 and the TI-89. I want the TI-89 but my parents want me to get the 86 since it's a lot cheaper. I'm a computer science major and probably will be doing a lot of math for a long time. Is the TI-89 worth the extra money and are you allowed to use it (my calculus teacher wouldn't let us use it since it did most of the work)?
 
Back in my day, which was only three years ago, the calculator to have was the HP48 series. I remember those things being around a buck and a half.

I think you should wait and see what the other students have, then buy one after you are at college.

jeremy806
 
I bought a TI89 ($90) at Fry's electronics. Never seen that low of a price on the 86. The fact of the matter is, if the price difference is 30 bucks, get the 89. More than that, forget it. In college (I'm in EECS at Berkeley) though you often CANNOT use a calculator, the 89 does symbolic manipulation, giving you something against which to check your answers when trying problems. That is a HUGE help.

gl
 
I'm an engineering student and the calculator that every student uses is the HP48 series. They take some time to get used to but once you do you will never go back. They are excellent calculators. The HP49 series recently came out but they're a bit pricey. Personally, I have trouble using anything else cause I love my HP so much.

The TI calculators are good too. If you decide to go with TI, DO NOT get the TI-86. The TI-89 is much better even though it is more expensive. If you buy the 86 I guarantee that you'll be buying an 89 within a year. The 86 is fine for high school and first year math, after that you'll need something better. You're better off buying the 89 now, it'll be cheaper in the long run. My TI-86 can't do half the things my HP48 can.

You might be better off going with TI just because the HP48/49 calculators are geared more towards engineering but they're excellent calculators none the less. 🙂

EDIT: troubledshooter is right about the TI-89, and that a lot of professors don't let students use calculators on tests. Engineering students usually get to (lucky me) but most others don't.
 
Get the TI89 and consider it a long term investment. First year cs majors won't have much need for it though.
 
ebay. And yes, i'm serious. I got it for $110 brand new. Prolly stolen tho.

And yeah, first couple years you won't have much use for it.

 
I am a computer science student too. i think we are required to use ti-85 or higher for one of our physics classes. but other than that CS program itself hardly requires you to do math!!
 
Hi Layzie310,

I'm not familiar with TI86/89 calculators. Is the TI89 faster or does it hold more memory than the TI86? If it's faster and has more useable features, I would be inclined to go with the TI89 (for faster graph draws). It might not be worth it for just the features if the TI89 comes with a lot of built-in engineering equations, operations, and variables that you'll never use in Computer Science.

I had (still have) an HP 48G when I was in university taking Computer Science, and I can tell you that I didn't use half the things on it. It was a nice calculator in its time though.

At my university, many professors would not let you use programmable calculators on math exams. It's still useful on assignments though.
 
I was just at Office Depot for an unrelated reason and I happened to stumble upon the TI-89 and HP49G sitting right next to each other. After playing around with both of them I felt the TI was easier to use (but only because I was so used to the interface). Then some guy saw that I was looking at them and he was all for the HP49G. He was a calculator enthusiast who might have been in the LA area for some HP calculator conference they're having at the LAX Ramada this weekend. I know he went to last years since he said they were giving away these calculators to everyone for free. He explained RPN and showed me it wasn't very difficult. The meeting was very enlightening and it forced me to put more consideration into the TI vs. HP battle. One thing that I've noticed is that the TI calcs have a huge number of good, entertaining games while the few the HP has are visually stunning (Gameboy quality).
 
Yeah, I just found myself in the market for a new calculator. I just checked out my HP 48GX after the summer and found the LCD cracked.

I will definitely be getting the HP 49G. However, I am still looking for a good price. This is the second summer I've found my calculator cracked after, and it was sitting on the shelf all summer. Doesn't make any sense to me. Heat?

The HP 49G can either be used RPN or not, but I'm a RPN guy. I used to work for HP up until last week (quit to go back to school), so I may be biased. Though, I used HP calculators before I worked there. HP's Employee Purchase Program sucks rocks otherwise I would have bought it before I quit.
 
I study Math and Economics at the university. And believe me, you don't need a big motherf*cker calculator. The TI-30 is more than enough. Every other type is just short-cuts.

But when that is said, don't underestimate the use of these biiiig calculators 🙂. Mostly they are able to give you the result on whatever problem you are facing, and in a way it's nice to have a backup when you are pulling hairs out of your head because of all those questions you need to find a solution to 🙂.

AoD 😛
 
I'm an elecrical engineer and a graduate student. I find the TI86 to be quite usefull. I have never used the TI89 but if I had to buy one now I think I would go with the 89. As far as not being able to use a calculator in school, that's a myth.
 
I'm a Math Major and if you are going to a Uni. of any rep. you won't need a calc, for the most part you won't deal with that much number work... most will be variables, Especially in your Math classes...

I'd get the simplest calc, they prolly still won't let you use it because you can always store solutions and notes in the Calc's.. for some reason they frown on that... ;o)




Craig
 
i do civil engineering

a lot of maths

but i dont have a graphical calc

using casio fX5500L

works great

anyway
if u know your maths, u dont need the calc

if u dont know your math, a graphical calc will not help u pass anyway
 
I'm a Cs student going into my 3rd year.

The university pretty much forced us to get a TI-85...

I used it in Calculus 1 and 2. a bit in physics in first year.

And i don't remember when i used in 2nd year.

So it's probably not that important, get whatever is cheaper
 
I'm a cs major at MSU and so far I haven't been able to use a calculator and I've been told that I can't use one in Calc III or IV either. They're a waste of money anyways. Sure they can give you answers, but the odds are always in the back of the book anyways.
 
Warning!!
Most college's (or rather the math department) will have decided what they want their standard high-end calc to be. In my school, its the ti-83 (or ti-83+). However, if you buy a better one, that includes certian functions, THEY WILL NOT LET YOU USE IT ON THE TESTS. Because it does things for you they want you to do by hand.

bart
 
most open exams wont let you take 'any' calculators in

just check that list before buying

not much point getting a really good one and then not being able to bring it into exams since you have coded all the formulars into it
 
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