<p>I am a junior right now, and I'm writing the SATs in a few months, and I've decided to get a graphing calculator. The problem is, graphing calculators are UNHEARD of here, NOBODY uses them in school, and very few stores have them. From what I hear, the most recommended is the the TI 84, but I am slightly reluctant to buy it, because it's a bit expensive and may not be too useful for me in the future, considering that I'm thinking of majoring in English Literature or one of the Social Sciences. Are there any other graphing calculators equally useful for the purposes of the SAT AND cheaper? Or should I just go ahead with the TI 84?</p>
<p>You don’t really need a graphing calculator for the SAT Reasoning test. A simple calculator is sufficient.</p>
<p>If you do decide to buy a graphing calculator with the expectation of using the graphing features on the SAT Reasoning test you will need to become proficient in its use, including understanding what problems it’s good for, and being quick with getting results, and interpreting them. If your school does not require use of a graphing calculator you may find that becoming proficient with its use is more work than you expected.</p>
<p>The TI family of graphing calculators is excellent, and they are widely used. So if you decide to get a graphing calculator get a TI. There’s a range of TI graphing calculators, some significantly less expensive than the TI-84. Any one should serve your needs.</p>
<p>My school uses Ti calculators, specifically the Ti-83, the Ti-83 plus, and the Ti-84. I haven’t used any other kinds of graphing calculators extensively, but Tis serve their purpose for me both in school and during the SATs.</p>
<p>Definitely play around with the calculator first: learn all the functions and learn how to graph. The graphing feature is most useful on the SAT, since much of the math is simple and can be done in your head.</p>
<p>The Ti-83 is virtually identical to the Ti-84, yet it’s half the cost if you buy it new. I’m sure you could find a secondhand model for even cheaper.</p>
<p>Like mentioned above, scientific calculator for the SAT should do the job. But if you become aquainted with the functions of a graphing calculator, you can use other functions of it (like … graphing) to check your answer. If your future classes aren’t math heavy, learn how to use a scientific calculator very well and I’d say that it’s good enough.</p>
<p>With that said, I use the TI-84 plus on the SAT, subject tests and AP calc right now and I think with the new software you can do even more. It was just above 100 dollars when I bought it 5ish years ago.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone
@ Opaline - I think I might go with the TI-83. You’re sure using that one instead of the TI-84 won’t make a huge difference, right?</p>
<p>The TI-83 is the perfect choice for you. There is NOTHING on the TI-84 that you will need that is not on the TI-83. Here are the most important things you should practice on your TI-83 to make the best use of it for the SAT:</p>
<p>(1) Doing multiple operations at once. For example (2 + 3)^5/(17-8).
(2) Clear the screen before using it in a new problem. The big screen then allows you to check over your computation.
(3) Using the ANS button to use the last answer in the next compuattion.
(4) Press 2nd then Enter to bring up your last computation for editing. This is especially useful when you’re plugging in answer choices, or guessing and checking.
(5) You can press 2nd then Enter over and over again to cycle backwards through all the computatiuons you have ever done.
(6) Know where the sqrt, pi, and ^ buttons are so you can reach them quickly.
(7) Change a decimal to a fraction by pressing MATH ENTER ENTER.
(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>Less Important but sometimes useful:</p>
<p>(1) Press the Y= button to enter a function, and then hit ZOOM 6 to graph it in a standard window.
(2) Practice using the WINDOW button to adjust the viewing window of your graph.
(3) Practice using the TRACE button to move along the graph and look at some of the points plotted
(4) Pressing 2nd TRACE (which is really CALC) will bring up a menu of useful items. For example 2 ZERO will tell you where the graph hits the x-axis, or equivalently where the function is 0. 3 MINIMUM can find the vertex of an upward facing parabola. 5 INTERSECT will find the point of intersection of 2 curves, etc.</p>
<p>You’ll find that if you stick to the features I’ve mentioned you can become fairly proficient with your new calculator very quickly,</p>
<p>And don’t forget to use paranthesis to “protect” fractions or when doing a longer operation that involves all of add/subtract, multiply and divide!</p>
<p>Wow, thanks guys, that’s reallllyy helpful
Btw, When you say that the TI - 83 will be enough, you mean with regard to the SAT Math IIC ALSO, right? <sorry to="" be="" repetitive,="" i="" just="" want="" absolutely="" sure="" before="" buy="" anything=""></sorry></p>
