<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I had my Math final today and there was an issue with calculator usage. I had written programs in my calculator (TI-84 silver) to speed up the process of solving a problem. My graphing calculator was taken away and was replaced with a scientific calculator w/o graphing capabilities. My teacher DID NOT state ANYWHERE on the exam or verbally that we were not allowed to have programs stored in our calculators. </p>
<p>I talked to the head of disciplinary action and he told me that the school policy says that "Unauthorized Use of Calculators/computers" is prohibited and that HAVING programs is not violating any policy. Therefore having the programs was ok.</p>
<p>What I thought was unfair was that my professor took away my ability to use my graphing calculator when every student in the room was able to use theirs. His argument was that I had programs stored in the calculator of my TI-84 and that put me at an unfair advantage. And that I had the opportunity to "cheat" (note: it's only cheating if he told us we couldn't use programs which he did not) And I also did not use the programs. They were there from when I took my SAT Subject tests.</p>
<p>How is it unfair if there are students in the room who can use the TI-89? For those of you who don't know, the TI-89 has a CAS (Computer algebra System) which allows symbolic manipulation. It also has built in functions like: solve(), factor(), expand(), etc. This calculator is just as functional as my TI-84 with the programs however he allows the TI-89 on the final. </p>
<p>Do you think what he did was just? In respect to the school's policy, was I cheating by having the programs stored on my calculator? Does it make sense that the TI-84 w/programs is not allowed when the TI-89 with the CAS IS allowed?</p>
<p>If the head of disciplinary action agrees with you, I think you should talk with the professor and have the head of disciplinary action by your side (whether in the room, or just aware of it.)</p>
<p>What frustrates me is that I’m not going to get reimbursed. It doesn’t bother me that I was able to complete the test with a scientific calculator but it does bother me that I had to repeatedly punch in a bunch of numbers because I couldn’t use a graph. </p>
<p>The Head of the Math department told me that my teacher will take into account that I could not use a graphing calculator. We all know he isn’t. He’s the one that put me at a disadvantage for what he believed to be cheating. He is sure as **** not going to give back points for not having a graphing calculator. </p>
<p>The head of disciplinary action told me that the disadvantage is minimal and that it’s not worth getting worked up over. However I disagree. A disadvantage is still a disadvantage.</p>
<p>check your syllabus. maybe it will say something relevant. i know that some teachers put it on the syllabus or put it online or something. although in all math classes i’ve taken it’s generally agreed upon that having programs on your calculator shows intent to use them, which they defined as cheating.</p>
<p>I checked his website. There’s nothing that says having programs on a calculator is prohibited for his class. As I stated before, the only thing that is banned is “unauthorized use of calculators”. Which could mean: using calculators on non-calculator test or using programs without permission. </p>
<p>The head of …, told me that if a teacher does not specify for his/her class what is/isn’t allowed, then their policy will automatically follow the default school policy which refers back to “unauthorized use of calculators”.</p>
<p>I do agree with this statement, “having programs on your calculator shows intent to use them”. I did have programs on my calculator and I intended to use them only for my SAT Subject tests. </p>
<p>My instructors believe that I could have done and should have been able to do the tests without programs. Although I agree with them, I find it excessive to make me suffer with a scientific calculator which I was not familiar with.</p>
<p>My pre-cal teacher’s policy for the entire year was quite simple: You had to use a Ti-83 (a class set) after clearing the memory (which would wipe out any apps/ans). It made sense, and was simple to follow.</p>
<p>I think your teacher should have just made you clear your calc’s memory, especially considering the lack of clearly defined policies. How did he even know you were using a program anyway? Looking over your shoulder?</p>
<p>I think our school policy should be like that.</p>
<p>He found out that i HAD programs NOT USING them by doing a random calculator check during the exam.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, but how did he know that you had any program on your calculator?</p>
<p>He pressed the “PrGrm” key on my calculator.</p>
<p>^Why did he do that? Was he just suspicious of you, or was he checking everyone’s? And if he was checking everyone’s, is this the first time he’s done it? If it isn’t, then you should have expected something like having programs to cause trouble. And if it isn’t, then you should be able to think and conclude that the programs can give an unfair advantage and thus you shouldn’t have them in the calculator when you are taking a test. </p>
<p>I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you weren’t going to cheat. But how does he know that? He doesn’t, and that’s why he took that precaution of checking calculators. Just because it isn’t explicitly stated does not mean you should just automatically assume. He didn’t say you couldn’t use programs. So then does that mean that any student can install/write programs that’ll compute every equation and problem under the sun, or fill it with text to help with the test? Think, because obviously you can.</p>
<p>IMHO the teacher was right.</p>
<p>He was checking everyone’s calculator as I stated before. This is not the first time he has done this. The last time he did this I think he was making sure we knew if we were in radian of degree mode. No one got into trouble. I did not have programs the last time he did a calculator check because I was not taking a standardized test. </p>
<p>I respect your opinion HeWhoPwnz, but do you think it was just for him to exchange my calculator with a scientific one? Could he not erase its memory? </p>
<p>I go to a respectable private school in my region and we abide by an honor code. We write a statement and sign it. </p>
<p>Answer this,</p>
<p>Does it make sense that he allows the TI-89 which has a CAS and not a TI84 w/programs? The TI89 was allowed on the test and is just as functional if not a lot easier to gain an unfair advantage. If I knew he was going to ban TI84s with programs and not TI-89s i would’ve bought one for the purpose of not getting in trouble.</p>
<p>Did you fail the class/get a lower letter grade because of this?</p>
<p>I will most likely receive a lower grade on my test which counts for 25% of my average. So yes I will receive a lower grade.</p>
<p>Get over it, firstly–if the programs were only there to “speed up the process”, then it’s not a big deal. Secondly, life isn’t fair and it sucks. Oh well, you’ll meet even more idiots when you grow up. Too bad.</p>
<p>Is this too harsh already? I’m not trying to be rude or mean. But thirdly, if hundreds of thousands of kids could do this math back when they had slide rules, you can do it with a scientific calculator (in my math final, we weren’t allowed to use graphing calculators. and we had to approximate graphs and stuff. actually, we weren’t allowed to use graphing calculators on any of our tests this year, and most of them didn’t allow scientific ones, either.) And fourthly, I didn’t think you’re supposed to have programs on your calculator when taking the SAT or ACT–when I took the ACT, the proctor checked everyone’s calculator before the math section, at least.</p>
<p>Sorry to be blunt, but life is life and this is a really small deal.</p>
<p>Your statement “life isn’t fair and it sucks” doesn’t justify my teacher’s actions to allow everyone in the room except me to use a graphing calculator. Not to mention there were several people using TI-89s and were simply punching in equations into the solver. </p>
<p>Speed is a big deal. You have 1 hr to solve 50 questions on the SAT II. That equates to approx. 1 min and 12 seconds per problem. Not much room for error. Collegeboard does not say anything about having a programed calculator when taking the test so it’s safe to assume programs are acceptable. </p>
<p>I understand where you’re coming from. I respect your professor’s decision to not allow any type of calculator on the final. That’s a different situation because your professor clearly defined the parameters which my professor did not.</p>