<p>I was looking over my AP Calculus AB summer assignment, and read that I'll have to buy a TI-84 plus graphing calculator. I've been using the same TI-30XS scientific multiview for the last two years of high school, and have adapted quite well to the calculator (it's my baby ;)). Is the TI-84 plus allowed for use during the SAT? Is it easy to use, and better than the multiview? Should I go with another graphing calculator for AP Calc?</p>
<p>Get the TI-84. Seriously.</p>
<p>Casio scientific calculator 570
It’s awesome, can solve missing variable equations and do some 2 missing variable double equations.
<a href=“http://www.price11.com/shop/ebay/Images/Casio%20Scientific%20Calculator%20FX-570ES/FX-570ES03.jpg[/url]”>http://www.price11.com/shop/ebay/Images/Casio%20Scientific%20Calculator%20FX-570ES/FX-570ES03.jpg</a></p>
![http://www.price11.com/shop/ebay/Images/Casio%20Scientific%20Calculator%20FX-570ES/FX-570ES03.jpg[/url]](http://www.price11.com/shop/ebay/Images/Casio%20Scientific%20Calculator%20FX-570ES/FX-570ES03.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>Is it easy to use? I’m worried because I’m taking the SAT in October lol.</p>
<p>Just get the TI 84. If your teacher wants it, your class with be taught with it and it’ll be more difficult to figure out a whole different calculator. You really should have a TI 84 anyway because it’s the most accepted/used calculator. </p>
<p>If you’re not comfortable with it by the October SAT you can just use your old calculator. No one is stopping you. But I don’t think it’ll take too long to get used to. A TI 84 is really easy to use.</p>
<p>@Haphazard, yes it’s very easy to use it, you just have to get used to it.
Whatever calc you’re intending to buy, get it like 3-4 months before the test so that you would get used to it.</p>
<p>The following is cut, pasted, and edited from some of my materials. It outlines the functions of your TI-84 that you should learn how to use:</p>
<p>It is recommended that you use a TI-84 or comparable calculator for the
SAT. It is important that you are comfortable with your calculator on test
day, so make sure that you are consistently practicing with the calculator
you plan to use. Make sure that your calculator has fresh batteries the
day of the test. Nobody will supply a calculator for you if yours dies.
Below are the most important things you should practice on your
graphing calculator.</p>
<p>(1) Practice entering complicated computations in a single step, and
know when to insert parentheses. In general, there are 4 instances when
you should use parentheses in your calculator:</p>
<p>(i) Around numerators of fractions
(ii) Around denominators of fractions
(iii) Around exponents
(iv) Whenever you actually see parentheses in the expression</p>
<p>Examples:
We will substitute a 5 in for x in each of the following examples.</p>
<p>(Images omitted - they can’t be pasted here)</p>
<p>(2) Clear the screen before using it in a new problem. The big screen
allows you to check over your computations easily.</p>
<p>(3) Press the ANS button (2nd (-) ) to use your last answer in the next
computation.</p>
<p>(4) Press 2nd ENTER to bring up your last computation for editing. This is
especially useful when you are plugging in answer choices, or guessing
and checking.</p>
<p>(5) You can press 2nd ENTER over and over again to cycle backwards
through all the computations you have ever done.</p>
<p>(6) Know where the sqrt, pi , and ^ buttons are so you can reach them
quickly.</p>
<p>(7) Change a decimal to a fraction by pressing MATH ENTER ENTER.</p>
<p>(8) Press the MATH button - in the first menu that appears you can take
cube roots and nth roots for any n. Scroll right to PRB and you have nPr
and nCr to compute permutations and combinations very quickly.</p>
<p>The following items are less important but can be useful.</p>
<p>(9) Press the Y= button to enter a function, and then hit ZOOM 6 to
graph it in a standard window.</p>
<p>(10) Practice using the WINDOW button to adjust the viewing window of
your graph.</p>
<p>(11) Practice using the TRACE button to move along the graph and look
at some of the points plotted.</p>
<p>(12) Pressing 2nd TRACE (which is really CALC) will bring up a menu of
useful items. For example selecting ZERO will tell you where the graph
hits the x-axis, or equivalently where the function is zero. Selecting
MINIMUM or MAXIMUM can find the vertex of a parabola. Selecting
INTERSECT will find the point of intersection of 2 graphs.</p>
<p>Thank you Dr. Steve; I ordered the TI-84 plus today. Also, would you recommend Dr. Chung’s, or Gruber’s as a math workbook for SAT prep?</p>
<p>POWERSCORE. </p>
<p>I know it’s not a common one, but I studied it for literally 2 hours total and it taught me everything I needed to know (got a 750, missed two. One was a bubbling error and the other was a stupid simple math error. I know, I’m dumb. But the point is it has all the info). </p>
<p>Powerscore really is under appreciated.</p>
<p>What were you scoring beforehand? I’m worried because I really want to leap from my abysmal 600 to 750+</p>
<p>I am not allowed to discuss sat prep materials here as it would violate the rules of this forum.</p>
<p>I recommend the TI-NSpire over the TI-84. The NSpire has much better graphics, is fairly easy to use, uses the same syntax as the TI-84, and is faster. Also, the NSpire (but not NSpire CAS) has two interchangeable keypads so you can also use the 84 keypad.</p>
<p>There are also the NSpire CX, NSpire CAS (computer algebra system) and NSpire CAS CX. The CAS can do lots of different functions that the 84 and NSpire can’t do (as well as perform equations in terms of variables, instead of just numerically), and the CX can display 3D graphs. A CAS CX would be pretty useful for college (I have yet to buy one), but note that the ACT exam bans any CAS calculator.</p>
<p>Right now, it seems like you have already ordered an 84. It’s definitely a great calculator, as you can install apps and write programs quite easily. Once you get into higher math, e.g. calculus, you may want to consider getting an NSpire or CAS/CX. They’re pretty impressive calculators IMO :)</p>
<p>Honestly, idk. I never took a practice test before. Heh. But it goes through all the lessons that you need to know.</p>
<p>@rspence I remember reading about the Nspire a long time ago, but forgot all about it. 
I wasn’t sure if I could use it on the SAT though. It definitely looks better, but I’m worried that I won’t be able to use it for standardized tests, and classes next year: (H) physics- teacher doesn’t allow some calculators during tests, my AP Calculus teacher would probably give me a hard time. I ordered from Amazon, so you think I’d be able to return the TI-84 if the Nspire is allowed on the SATs? I’m not sure about amazon’s return policies, because I’ve never returned anything before lol.</p>
<p>@Haphazard, the NSpire is allowed on both SAT and ACT (I was able to use mine on both). The only restriction I know of is that the ACT bans all CAS calculators, but the SAT doesn’t. Also, I think the AP exams allow CAS and CX calculators.</p>
<p>The nice thing about the NSpire is that you can also use the TI-84 Plus via a snap-in keypad. If your physics teacher lets you use an 84, he better let you use an NSpire (they cover the same range of functions but the NSpire’s much more user-friendly, and has better graphics). Idk if he’ll let you use the CAS or CX…</p>
<p>Yeah, you might want to check the return policies first. It’s not really worth spending $x for an 84 and then another $x for an NSpire…</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-Nspire_series[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-Nspire_series</a></p>
<p>Never used it before, but I hear that the TI-89 is a great calculator as well. However I think it comes with a computer algebra system (CAS) so you won’t be able to use it on the ACT.</p>
<p>Regardless of whether you get an NSpire, CAS/CX, or TI-89, you should be able to adapt if your class uses the 84. The syntax is all the same, and unlike the 84, you can type in all the necessary functions on the NSpire (and maybe 89). Which means you don’t have to scroll down a bunch to use nsolve, you can just type it in. Last year my AP Statistics class used the 84, but I preferred the NSpire…it was tricky at first but I got used to it.</p>
<p>Try to contact your teachers and see if Ti-89 is fine. People regret getting the Ti-84 when they learn they can use the 89! On calculator portions of tests (especially Calculus), the 89 can give you a huge edge, using the CAS instead of the graph can save a lot of time. </p>
<p>For the SAT I and SAT II, the good thing about the CAS is it enhances brute force. Yes, it takes out the thinking, but being able to change the variables of an equation and solve it or factor it quickly until you get the right answer is very helpful.</p>
<p>Yes; can’t the TI-89 factor expressions like x^2 + 6x - 16?</p>
<p>The 89 is comparable to the NSpire CAS, seems like. But both are banned on the ACT…</p>
<p>I think I might go for the Nspire when I head out to college. I still have to take the SATs October, followed by SAT2s.</p>
<p>The 89 and NSpire CAS cost roughly the same (~$140-150) so it’s more of a matter of preference. They’re both great calculators, and IMO they’re a better value than the TI-84 (~$120) (prices from walmart.com).</p>
<p>You probably won’t need the 89 or CAS/CX until you take higher-level math (e.g. calculus, multi-variable), then it becomes quite handy. If you take AP Stats, you’ll definitely need at least a TI-84. I used the NSpire throughout high school and it was extremely helpful in AP Calc, Stats, and Physics.</p>