_.:~*~:._ [Official Math Improvement Stories] _.:~*~:._

<p>rainynightstarz, you talked about TI 89 in your previous post. Is TI 89 going to be a lot more beneficial than TI 83?</p>

<p>the main part in89 that other doesn't have is the solve function!
of course you can always graph it in TI 83 and find the zeros.
if you have 83 it should be fine.
I bought a 89 because its faster and the resolution is better.
but for SAT wise. 83 would also work.
so for all the problems that they ask you to solve for x or something you can just put it in your calculator. if you have sometime like
2x^2-3=3x^3-8x (random equation that probabl doesn't work)
and you are trying to find x
for ti 89 press f2 then enter ,"solve(" shows up
"solve(2x^2-3=3x^3-8x,0)"
will give you all the possible x's
for 83
you'll have to move everything onto one side
-3x^3+2x^2+8x-3
graph that
and trace to find all the zeros which would but slower
everything else is the same</p>

<p>Thanks for explaining the benefits of TI 89!</p>

<p>i might get flamed for the acutal years etc... but i agree with fqhs</p>

<p>in 7th grade i got a 530 (absolutely no preparation or thinking before the test)</p>

<p>what did i do inbetween? i went to school and learned more math!!!</p>

<p>in 8th grade i got a 590 (again no preparation)</p>

<p>1 year of school gave me 60 pts. </p>

<p>i think taking the test before geometry and trig is a big disadvantage.</p>

<p>when i take the psat this fall, im hoping to get 700+. is that realistic? i figure 590 + 150 for the added trig and geometry is realistic.</p>

<p>With just solid algebra 1 and geometry could probably get you 700.
And i mean solid.
learning more math is one thing, making less stupid mistakes is another and not knowing how to apply the knowledge you learned to solve problems is probably the hardest part to over come.</p>

<p>I went from 610 to 710 by simply doing 3 full math sections out of practice tests and lookin closeley over the ones i missed. I usually only missed 3 at the end and that was the amount I missed on the test. </p>

<p>Im going to do each section in the blue book for an hopeful 800</p>

<p>could you please explain the TI-89 because after seeing this thread i went and bought a TI-89 so I am wondering if it is all that its cracked up to be. I really need help on the math so I would appreciate an explaination of the TI-89 calculator :)</p>

<p>what do you want to do with your calculator?
flip through the 1/4 inch thick instruction manuel should tell you most of the stuff. if there is something else you want to do with it just ask here. specific questions though! no one have the time to type up how to do the basic stuff</p>

<p>got 700s range in middle school and 800s consistently in high school</p>

<p>this may be too late for you but what mostly helped me was joining the school's math team. I've done it since 6th grade and it has taught me many of the problem-solving techniques to make the SAT Math a breeze.</p>