Graphing Calculators

[N35t0r]

My old calculator died, and I need a new one. I was interested in buying a powerful calculator, with graphing capabilities if possible.

Does anyone here got any tips? I used to own a Casio CFX 9850G back in the last years of high school, but that one got stolen, and I'm sure technology has advanced in the past 10 years.

[Hauldren Collider]

TI-89

It's like Mathematica in your pocket.

[Al B. Sure!]

TI-89 Titanium

[loinburger]

I used to use a TI-83 - I'm sure it's now obsolete several times over, but AFAIK TI is still the brand to beat; it's mostly a question of how powerful you needed the calculator to be (e.g. the TI-92 was out at the same time as the TI-83; the former was better for things like differential equations and multivariate calculus)

[Al B. Sure!]

I used to use a TI-83 - I'm sure it's now obsolete several times over, but AFAIK TI is still the brand to beat.

I used a TI-83 in high school but the TI-89 impressed me and I used it in college.

I don't think you can buy a new TI-83 anymore, though.

[giblets]

I have a relatively new TI-83 plus. Once again Al is wrong!

[loinburger]

It looks like the TI-NSpire is the replacement for the TI-92; the difference between it and the TI-89 (and the difference between the TI-92 and the TI-83) is that the TI-NSpire has a built-in computer algebra system for simplifying equations etc

[Hauldren Collider]

Get the TI-84, not the 83 (if you don't get the 89), it's the same thing with more memory. Don't know much about the N-Spire. I had an 83 in middle school, then I lost it and got an 84 for high school and in my last two years of high school I used an 89 for calculus. I use an 89 in college now.

The TI-NSpire is weird. I don't like it much, but I grew up on something else, so it might be better. Don't know.

[Hauldren Collider]

Whoah, WTF. The new NSpire has a color screen. When did that happen.

I honestly wouldn't want that though, I wouldn't want to have to replace my calculator batteries more than once a year like I currently do.

[loinburger]

Yeah, it's basically a question of what you're going to use it for. Ten years ago price was also an issue (the 92 cost at least twice as much as the 83), but according to the TI website the Nspire costs about twenty bucks more than the 89, which costs about twenty bucks more than the 83

Also, some calculators aren't allowed on certain exams, but I'm assuming that's not an issue here

I honestly wouldn't want that though, I wouldn't want to have to replace my calculator batteries more than once a year like I currently do.

I think the Nspire has a lithium battery

[giblets]

Get the TI-84, not the 83 (if you don't get the 89), it's the same thing with more memory. Don't know much about the N-Spire. I had an 83 in middle school, then I lost it and got an 84 for high school and in my last two years of high school I used an 89 for calculus. I use an 89 in college now.

The TI-NSpire is weird. I don't like it much, but I grew up on something else, so it might be better. Don't know.

What do you use more memory for?

[DaShi]

Samsung Galaxy S II or the Nexus Prime

[Hauldren Collider]

What do you use more memory for?

It comes with several reasonably useful apps that the 83 doesn't, and they take up memory.

[DaShi]

Graphing calculators are for spoiled rich kids. When I was a kid, we had to do it all in our heads and blink our answers to our teachers in binary.

[N35t0r]

Samsung Galaxy S II or the Nexus Prime

Yeah, this is my primary concern... But I've yet to see a decent calculator app. And I'd still need a calculator for exams at uni. So, should I get a crappy cheap-ass calculator since graphing calculators have no future, or will it still be of some use in 5 years time.

Graphing calculators are for spoiled rich kids. When I was a kid, we had to do it all in our heads and blink our answers to our teachers in binary.

I'm tired of having to calculate stuff by hand (not to mention that on some exams, I loose time that could be otherwise better spent), that's why I want the calculator. I've done almost two semesters without one, and it's a bit of a PITA on some subjects.