I don’t know which calculator to get for senior year and possibly college. I’ve used the following calculators but I don’t know which will be best for my purposes.
Calculators: TI Nspire CE
TI 89 Titanium
TI 84+ CE
Next year, I am taking AP Physics C, and multi variate calc. I plan on majoring in engineering or something in STEM. I need a calculator now because I’m taking the SAT in August. I loved the 89 last year for the SAT because it factored for me and it was pretty nice, but I saw many college professors don’t like the 89 because of its capabilities. I don’t know if this matters but my top school is Carnegie Mellon followed by Cornell and Northeastern. Thanks!!
@bodangles Depends on the class. For physics and math classes the calc isn’t needed at all. Upper division engineering where the focus isn’t on the math but on the concept sure. If a college physics and math class let’s students use a Calc then they’re doing the students a major disservice. Just my opinion.
@bodangles I go to UCLA and our engineering physics series does not use numbers. Everything is solved symbolically and exams are mostly proofs and derivations. Sin 34 we don’t use. You’ll see sin alpha for example.
@10s4life Not every school does that. My heat transfer class involved so much calculation that people used Mathematica, Excel, or MATLAB to complete their homework.
@bodangles In a way that’s much more practical for on the real world. There’s a heavy emphasis at my school on grad school placement and research. But that’s heat transfer or an upper div. I was talking about the Lower division math and science
@10s4life Not every school does it your way, even with lower-level classes. It would be irresponsible for OP to go off to college without having any kind of calculator. Better to have one and not need it than fail an exam because you were allowed one and didn’t have it.
Heat transfer and physic 1 are very different courses. That’s apples and oranges. Physics 1 is a fundamental course whose purpose is to build the proper theoretical foundation upon which students can base later courses. Heat transfer is a junior-level (usually) engineering course meant to translate physical concepts into the ability to solve problems. The former can (and often is) accomplished without a calculator. The latter almost always requires a calculator or computer.
First of all, the statement was: “In college I never use a calculator not even on homework. It’s best to get used to doing things by hand”
No qualification like “only lower-level classes.” No “except for heat transfer.” The claim was that it is best to do things by hand in college, even on engineering homework.
That is absolutely and completely untrue.
It’s not even always true at the freshman and sophomore level. My physics classes had homework on MasteringPhysics. You NEEDED a calculator for that. I took the honors versions of three math classes, which were more theoretical than the usual ones, and still used a calculator.
@bodangles I don’t mean to argue but my original post only said “not even on homework” but I never specifically said I don’t use a Calc in engineering homework. Also @boneh3ad is a very reputable source.
I would definitely recommend a calculator, I’m quite found of the ti-84 and 89s. You could get away with any of those three calculators for engineering. A TI-84 calculator is around $90, a much better use of money than buying two pairs of jeans or a couple dinners out. I’ve had my ti-84 for almost 7 years, so at $13 a year is a steal. Personally, having a calculator in general is super useful for engineering and non-engineering classes. My vote would be for a ti-84 because it has lots of functionality, but not so much that you become reliant on it to solve/simplify problems.
As far as the theoretical and practical engineering go with numbers vs variables, you’re going to want a good mix of both. I can’t imagine doing entirely one way or the other for four years. I would assume a good engineer should be comfortable with both methods.
Protip: Even if you work entirely with variables, assigning arbitrary values to variables can show that you correctly did your equalities or derivations.
What? This is precisely the opposite of conventional thinking. Staying solely in variable form in a problem for as long as possible makes it much easier to catch mistakes. Only plug in values at the end to get your final answer.
The difference you’re reading from two students is based on the fact that one is a rising second year, the other, a rising fourth.
Suffice it to say, you’ll probably want a calculator at some time. The 84 is more than suitable. The others do more, but when you want more than the 84 can give, you’ll use tools other than your calculator.
No matter which one you pick, learn to use it. Good luck.
Also, it should be noted that the ti-84 is a brick and will withstand the test of time. They’re no strangers to being dropped, scratched, and chucked at walls :))
@boneh3ad We’re both saying the same thing, perhaps the way I worded it was confusing. Work in variables first then plug in values/arbritary values at end to get the final answer. Agreed that it is definitely much easier to catch mistakes in variable form.
Why arbitrary values? If the problem asks for numbers then do them at the end. If a problem doesn’t ask for numbers then there’s no reason to ever plug in arbitrary numbers.
Ti-89. Used since 9th grade, still use it in grad school. In that time, it’s paid for itself twice over (literally), and without it I wouldn’t have done as well on tests that were a time crunch. Symbolic math, some automatic algebra solvers, good with complex numbers, linear algebra with variables, does indefinite integrals and derivatives, finds the solution of differential equations easily and without mistakes and so much easier to input what you want and fix your mistakes than the Ti-84.
Perhaps 1 or 2 classes banned a calculator but I can’t recall. All of the math/physics/chemistry classes let you use the Ti-89 for me. Didn’t matter if it is easier if I knew what I was doing anyways
Agreed that it is definitely much easier to catch mistakes in variable form.