<p>i've been working on calc ab on my own and I am about 2/3 to 3/4 way done
but I don't know when to use my graphing calculator -- I actually never
needed one when I worked on questions and problems. When do you guys
use it? oh yea and i have ti84 and does anyone know whether i can solve
asymptote derivs with the calc? i am having a bit of trouble with that</p>
<p>On the exam, you will need to preform four operations.</p>
<p>I believe you need to graph a function in a respectable window (shows the features of the function). You need to be able to find the tangent line of a function (the calculator does numeral approximation, which is good enough) and you also need to find the definite integral of a function (again, the ti 83/84s do numerical approximations. I cannot recall the fourth one.</p>
<p>You know that there's 2 parts (multiple-choice and free-response) in which you can use a graphing calculator and 2 parts in which you can't use a calculator, right?</p>
<p>I never used the TI-84 to find a derivative (I don't think you can?), although I have used it to find definite integrals (you MUST know how to do this, since some will be difficult to solve without a calculator), points of intersection, max/min, and...I can't remember.</p>
<p>Good luck on the exam! (I'm taking it as well.)</p>
<p>The four things that you're allowed to do on your graphing calculator:</p>
<p>(1) Find a definite integral. Usually, the non-calculator section will require you to do these by hand, and the calculator section will frequently give you functions that you don't know how to integrate by hand (or that would take a long time to do). All you need is to show the set-up (in this case, the definite integral) and set it equal to a solution. This is frequently required in the free response.</p>
<p>(2) Evaluate the derivative at a point. Again, you must have the original function (either given in the problem or through other completed work). Then, you can use nDeriv to find the derivative at a point. [FUN NOTE: If you have a function in Y1, then setting Y2 = NDeriv(Y1,X,X) will draw an approximation of the derivative graph.] I've found that this is the least helpful of the four; if the derivative is that sticky to find, it's usually just as sticky to put into your calculator properly.</p>
<p>(3) Make a graph on a given window. This is usually only to help you set up problems (i.e. to set up an area/volume question).</p>
<p>(4) Find the zeroes of one curve, or the intersection point of two curves. This is almost a requirement in the areas/volumes questions.</p>