<p>Hi guys, it is my first quarter in college, and I haven't bought a graphic calculator yet.
The school's policy says that I should buy a calculator that have no symbolic differentiation capability.
Which calculator is the most powerful but doesn't have that 'symbolic differentiation' capability?
I was thinking to buy the TI Nspire CX (without CAS), but I'm not sure if that one doesn't have that capability.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Any one?
Or should I just buy a TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition?</p>
<p>TI-NSpires (non-CAS) don’t have symbolic differentiation and integration. It can find the derivative of a function at a point, but not in general.</p>
<p>I’ve got a TI-84+ Silver Edition, and I couldn’t imagine needing anything more. Many professors won’t allow calculators beyond that on tests. Many won’t even allow the non-CAS Nspires. </p>
<p>I’d get the TI-84+ C Silver Edition. It’s basically the same os the 84+ Silver, but it has a higher resolution full color display, upgraded memory, and you can enter equations in a form that looks just like it does on paper. Those are some great bonuses. </p>
<p>I’ve considered getting a CAS Nspire, but I really can’t justify the expense. My TI-84 does everything I need it to do, and a whole lot more that I’ve never even used. I really don’t use my calculator that often though. Even when I do use it, I only really use it to speed up the arithmetic.</p>
<p>And I’m a physics/math double major, if that makes a difference. You could say that I spend a little bit of time doing math. </p>
<p>I do love the fact that I can solve systems of equations on my TI-84 though. Being able to do row operations on matrices with it is a HUGE time saver. All it is is a bunch of arithmetic, but it’s incredibly tedious arithmetic…especially when you get into larger matrices.</p>
<p>Speaking personally, I see some graphing calculators as something of a crutch for many people. There are some people in my Calculus class that barely know how to find a derivative, because they don’t have a solid enough understanding of basic algebra. Many of these people have used CAS equipped calculators in previous classes, and never really had to learn how to do the algebra. Now they’re in a class with a professor that doesn’t allow CAS calculators, and they’re stuck. You mentioned that they don’t allow CAS calculators anyway though, so that’s not really an issue for you.</p>