The Best Graphing Calculator on the Market? 724
aaronbeekay asks: "I'm a sophomore in high school taking an honors chem course. I'm being forced to buy something handheld for a calculator (I've been using Qalculate! and GraphMonkey on my Thinkpad until now). I see people all around me with TIs and think 'there could be something so much better'. The low-res, monochrome display just isn't appealing to me for $100-150, and I'd like for it to last through college. Is there something I can use close to the same price range with better screen, more usable, and more powerful? Which high-tech calculators do you guys use?"
TI 89 (Score:1, Informative)
TI 89 (Score:5, Informative)
HP (Score:4, Informative)
I have an HP-48GX and it served me well through high school and four years of engineering school.
HP 48GX (Score:2, Informative)
Ebay yourself up an old TI-82 or -86 (Score:4, Informative)
My only difficulty was an occasion scramble to find where some higher level functions were, as the rest of the class had newer calcs and they couldn't help me out.
Just do yourself a favor, get an older calc (with an instruction book), and spend the rest of the cash on ice cream.
Ummm, HP 48G (Score:4, Informative)
This is one realm where you want a tool, not a toy - if you want something flashy and shiny with a nice screen and pleasing UI, save your pennies for an iPhone or something. If you want something that does math, and does it damn well, buy an HP calculator.
PS - I guess this doesn't quite fit your answer as according to Wikipedia they stopped making them back in 2003, so it's not really "on the market" any more. They are currently selling HP-49 series, which is still better than TIs but just isn't built like the 48Gs (the tactile feel of the keys really does matter on a device where punching numbers is the main use). Still, I'm guessing that 30 seconds with eBay and you'll find 48G's...
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:HP (Score:4, Informative)
Personally, I decided that I did not actually need the graphing features so now just use an HP-33s. It's pretty solid and does everything I need. For me, in the real world, I found that the graphing capabilities of the calcs were not useful -- if I needed to plot, I would do it on a computer. The graphing calc was just not a substitute. I suppose the programming might be more flexible on the bigger calculators as well, but I have not once found myself wishing for one since high school.
(for reference, I've worked as an electrical engineer/programmer and am now a graduate student in physics)
Why you should still consider a TI 89 (Score:5, Informative)
Re:TI 89 (Score:3, Informative)
Just get the TI-83 (Score:2, Informative)
But I am a recent University graduate. I think I had something like 1 or 2 classes that allowed me to bring a Ti-83 into the test with me. Most of my math based classes specifically disallowed graphing calculators for obvious reasons. They are just too powerful, and make cheating very very easy. I had to buy a $10 scientific calculator for University.
So my advice? Don't buy the best calculator on the market. It will just collect dust, and you will be angry for having spent triple what a TI-83 would cost, and get far less use.
But if you really do want a good calculator, then I might suggest a TI-92. My math teacher in high school had one, and they were so very very sexy. The big difference between a TI92 and a TI-83 in my books is that a TI-92 does integrals. Which is mighty handy. It even does Vectors.
HP-50G (Score:2, Informative)
I don't think they sell it any more (Score:2, Informative)
TI nspire (Score:5, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:3, Informative)
It all depends (Score:2, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
I gave away the first PDA I got because I could not figure out a way in which it would possibly assist me more than carrying around a pad & pen.
But the TX does everything. It's got a SD slot, so you can carry around full length movies, a million MP3's...
Excuse me, I have to go hug my palm.
A good graphing calculator is the best option (Score:2, Informative)
The benefits of a graphing calculator over any other option I can think of are numerous.
Everyone else has them, so if you are stuck on entering something it is easy to get help. Plus you can share programs.
They are extremely sturdy: My TI has been dropped more times than I can count and it lives in my bookbag, jammed in unceremoniously among pencils and pens, notepads and all other kinds of dirt and crud. Try doing that with a PDA and see how long it lasts.
It is a dedicated math computer; All the buttons and programs are specifically dedicated to math and science. A PDA for example would be a pain because you would constantly have to be working through a device that was not intended specifically for math functions.
Graphing calculators are allowed for virtually all testing that allows calculators in the US. Some other device, especially one that can communicate like a PDA would very likely be banned.
In the end as someone that has been working in academia for over 7 years now I can tell you that if you are serious about a portable device specifically for math and science use the only real option is a graphing calculator. Most people I know have TI's, but as others have mentioned HP is another option. If cost is a factor look for a used one, but keep in mind this a device that could serve you for well over 10 years, from that standpoint $100 bucks is a small investment. If what you need is something for more hardcore math you will obviously have to go with a program like Matlab. But that is a somewhat different application.
Re:PDA - Not for Test (Score:2, Informative)
TI 92's you won't be allowed to use on most exams.
Most professors will also not let you use a PDA on an exam. Especially given that you can check your e-mail and IM your friends with it.
Re:IA32 + Matlab R13 (Score:4, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
Personally, I think the TI-89 is the best graphing calculator you can get. It's got very helpful algebraic functions that solve equations, factor polynomials, etc. It even does indefinite integration and differentiation of functions (very useful for checking your work when you take calculus, the TI-83 does no such thing). Everything looks nice and shows up just like you would write the algebra, so data entry is much easier. Previous calculations are stored in memory and you can just scroll up and select an answer or the calculation, and it will show up in the entry line. Very useful for complex calculations. It has the capability to display exact values, ie for cos(30) most calculators will give you
To be honest, you only really need a calculator until you leave high school. Getting anything fancier than a TI-89 is a waste of money. In college, a simple scientific calculator will suffice for lower division classes. If you go into engineering you will be doing serious math by hand and serious calculations by computer (MATLAB or FORTRAN). No more "graphing" in the sense of the primitive capabilities of graphing calculators. Once you've learned about all the things they can do, you move onto more complex functions and calculations, more complex data sets, and you just don't need to use a calculator to figure out what y = x^2 looks like. I imagine science and mathematics is the same, except maybe with Maple or something.
Re:Sliderulers.. what you realy need is a slide ru (Score:1, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
TI-85 is more than enough. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:TI-89 Platinum (Score:4, Informative)
Re:PDA? (Score:3, Informative)
its been a while since i took an AP/SAT test though.
Re:PDA? (Score:2, Informative)
I would agree, except for the fact that mine kept locking up at inopportune moments (like during exams when I was an undergrad), forcing me to to complete system resets and lose all my data and programs. Plus it is quite slow. However, I loved RPN, I loved the positive action of the keypad, and I loved having that big fat "ENTER" key right where it was under the index finger. (Don't understand *what* possessed HP to dump that idea in later models...)
However, I now use a TI-89, which despite its defects, is a lot faster, and has lots of features the HP48 doesn't (such as proper symbolic Calculus, for those too lazy to do it on paper).
Re:IA32 + Matlab R13 (Score:3, Informative)
Re:TI 89 (Score:5, Informative)
I bought my TI-85 shortly after they came out in '92, and I still use it (in my Ph.D. work, nonetheless). It's kind of a tank, and has held up well over the years (all 14 of them - crap I'm old).
I was going to suggest a TI-86, as it's the memory-upgraded 85. The TI-86 is also lacking symbolic math, so it is generally more allowed on tests and in classes than the TI-89, but it does have a lot of tools that the 83 & 86 don't (like simultaneous equations solving and polynomial root finding) that make it very useful.
The TI-89 *will* do some impressive things... (Score:4, Informative)
Sure, Mathematica or Maple will run circles around the TI-92/89, but I recall that the TI-92 could actually do some pretty impressive things. I certainly found that it would symbolically integrate some things that I otherwise would have used an integral table for. It could also do some very hairy algebraic manipulation (and often reducing the result down to something nice). BTW, I don't recall just what basic functions it can integrate, but it certainly can do Gaussians -- I used my TI-92 extensively for prob/stat stuff where I was calculating Gaussian integrals quite frequently. I believe the TI-89 will do the same stuff (someone please correct me if I am mistaken), and it won't be so ridiculously bulky.
I finished my Ph.D. a couple of years ago so it's been quite a while since I've been in any situations where I've been constrained by test taking considerations. =) I use a computer for all that stuff these days. (Which certainly makes sense, since I'm a computational scientist by profession.) But from what I recall of the days when I was frequently using calculators, I don't think you can go wrong with the TI-89, especially since its use is explicitly allowed on a bunch of standardized tests in the US.
BTW, I also used an HP48G extensively in college. I've still got it and use it occasionally, and it has some nice features. And, yes, once you get used to it, RPN is pretty clever. I see a lot of people championing it in favor of the TI calculators on here, but I mostly think that's because of the geek style points it confers. The HP48G series is way better than the TI calculators that came before the TI-89/92, but compared to the TI-89/92 I think the HP48G series really show their age. My 48G is *way* slower to do complicated calculations, much slower in drawing and manipulating graphs, and its symbolic manipulation capabilities are a joke.
Re:PDA? (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.mobilevoodoo.com/power48.htm [mobilevoodoo.com]
Re:HP (Score:3, Informative)
The computer connection is something I have longed for. My 50g uses USB and draws it's power from the PC, so it would be great if I could use it as a more efficient way to input calculations.
The one thing that I see as a compelling reason to use an HP is the unit handling capabilities. While the TI can do conversions, the HP makes it almost trivial to keep full track of units in a physics problem (unless you must do vector calculations). I have noticed that I am far more aware of units and their conversion factors than my fellow students, who seldom label their numerical answers. I hope they learn to diligently track units before they go to work for NASA.
TI-85 (Score:3, Informative)
Re:IA32 + Matlab R13 (Score:4, Informative)
Actually, back when I was in school, I had Octave + Gnuplot running on my Sharp Zaurus.
Yes, you really can run it on a $150 handheld.
Also worth mentioning is that there are convenient packages for Windows which include Octave and Gnuplot.
Here are some links:
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:5, Informative)
I absolutely agree. The HP48GX is an amazing calculator. Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) rocks...you don't need to enter in brackets with complex expressions which probably makes it 20-30% faster than other methods. The calculator uses a stack system for its calculations. To add 2 and 3, type 2 and hit enter to put it into the stack. Then press 3 and hit enter...3 also appears on the stack. Then press +. This adds the bottom two entries in the stack. With complex expressions, you start on the innermost brackets and work outwards. Because your answers are always visible in the stack, it is remarkably easy to evaluate expressions without ever rounding more than the calculator's precision.
The stack doesn't just work for numbers. It is possible to enter in many types of objects. Enter two matrices or vectors into the stack, then press +, -, x, or / and the calculator will add, subtract, multiply, or divide the two matrices, just as if they were two numbers. To find the inverse matrix, enter it into the stack and press (1/x). Complex numbers are easily handled by entering them as vectors.
The main weakness of my version is that it is a bit slow when doing things like graphing. The origin of this problem lies in HP's neglect of this product. HP used to be a highly innovative and inventive technology company. They made products that no one else imagined making, things that were designed to meet the requirements of technical professionals like engineers. Then the bean counters/MBA's took over. They sold off most of HP's innovative divisions (Agilent Technologies for example) [wikipedia.org] and became primarily a maker of bog standard PC's. They stopped making the 48GX for a while, but brought it back after a loud outcry. The new version was however not quite the same as the old version. It feels cheaper than the older calculators...it doesn't quite have the same solid feel. Bloody corporate bean counters! HP has been losing money for much of the time since they took over.
It is a shame that HP hasn't updated this calculator. With a newer processor, and a few interface updates, this could truly be the ultimate calculation tool. It is still great, but if it were a bit faster with a more polished interface, then it would be perfect.
Re:PDA? (Score:3, Informative)
For the SAT, a calculator does not help much. A standard 4-function calculator is as useful as a fancy TI-89. Most of the problems involve logic reasoning, not brute force computational or algebraic skills. It's stuff like 101!/99! -- if you type that into a calculator, you are a moron. In fact, I think most of the problems can be done more quickly without using a calculator. The AP Calculus tests, on the other hand, benefit heavily from a TI-89 due to its algebraic capabilities. In fact, I think a TI-89 can do pretty much everything on that test.
Re:HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:4, Informative)
Try an HP48-GX Free! (Score:2, Informative)
The emulator is here: http://www.hpcalc.org/details.php?id=3644 [hpcalc.org]
You also need to get a ROM dump file, which you can get here: http://www.hpcalc.org/details.php?id=4368 [hpcalc.org]
There are several other emulators [hpcalc.org], including versions for Windows CE and PocketPC, as well as many other programs and resources, on that site [hpcalc.org]. That also means, if your college will allow PDAs in the classroom, you could just get a PDA and forego the physical calculator entirely!
Re:PDA? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:2, Informative)
Thanks. I hadn't paid attention to the most recent products in the last year or two. Now that I'm looking, I'm noticing that there is a 50g, which looks promising. I hear the keys are nicer on the newer 50g, but are still not as nice as the 48gx. The new 50G does look promising, as it seems to have a decent processor. Maybe HP hasn't given up on RPN calculators after all.
Re:HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:4, Informative)
Also, for chem it's perfect. Often you need to add up different steps of a reaction seperately then sum them. With RPN, there's no retyping! Also, there are tons of libraries including a molecular weight calculator and much much more. And there's even a remote control program for the built in infra-red tranceiver so you can mess around with the televisions in class
I'm happy to hear that HP has a newer faster version out. It was a little slow on graphing, but only in high precision mode (when you need to look up something on the curve, it'll calculate all the values based on an interval of x you specify, such as
Re:PDA? (Score:1, Informative)
Sharp calculators (Score:1, Informative)
The feature that I thought made it less cumbersome was the edit as you see it ability. Instead of all of this one line entry of equations it will actually display the equation as it is is in the book while you enter it. So if you enter a symbol for the integral it will display a box at the top and bottom of the symbol for entry, instead of requiring them later on or on the same on line in the entry with others.
I've had my earlier model since 1994 and will not get rid of it. I have a TI 89 that a college class forced me to get 2 years ago and it only gets basic use for figuring out square footage in a room. Check out the Sharp page, you may be surprised.
TI (Score:2, Informative)
Re:HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:3, Informative)
No need for the second enter.
Re:HP 48GX is an Amazing Calculator (Score:3, Informative)
I bought mine when I was a freshman in high school. It carried me through 4 years of high school, 5 years of college, and even though I haven't needed to use it in a long time it still works after 5 more years in the workforce.
That thing was made like a tank. None of that cheap flimsy crap that the TIs were made out of. And if you don't care about the expansion cards (I never found one that I needed), and you were handy with a soldering iron you could upgrade your G to the same amount of ram the GX came with pretty easy.
Oh, and taking two bare wires out the top and jamming them in to holes on my printer so that I could print out long strings of calculations? Freakin awesome!