<p>Long story short, these fancy-shmancy devices are required for a class I'm taking, but I don't have an inkling of which model/brand/color to buy. So this thread was spun out onto the all-knowing CC to enlighten me :). </p>
<p>Any recommendations? I'm planning on buying one for long term use, so a graphing calculator that's usable for major tests, like AP Calc(are graphing calculators allowed to be used on these tests?) would be nice, since I heard that certain calculators with certain functions are banned. Oh, and preferably something on the cheaper side, since I hail from a middle class family.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>TI-84 Silver Plus edition is amazing. I’ve had it for a year and it’s totally worth the $$. I don’t know of anything cheaper, so sorry if that’s too expensive :/</p>
<p>Hold on… Cheaper side you say? I’ll save you money right away: go on Ebay. Score. You’ll probably find an unopened Ti-89 for cheaper than your retail store sells a Ti-84. Ti-nspire CAS CX is a maybe. It’s more expensive and more difficult to use–well that’s what a Ti-84 user would say about an 89, but I feel it’s all about getting used to it and knowing where everything is, and functions are located in different spots for different models.</p>
<p>Ti-89 bans? I have not run into any problems with it yet–there are exceptions such as AcaDec, ACT. But you have AP Calc, college courses, some math competitions such as the math league, and the SAT that will allow it!</p>
<p>You’ll have a huge advantage if you can use the Ti-89. The computer algebra system is VERY powerful in math courses and tests. It tears apart problems that would normally be difficult to solve without. It enhances your brute force the MC answers by a significant amount. It can factor, solve equations, differentiate, integrate, find limits (oh mind when you punch things in you can get an exact answer instead of an approximation!), etc.</p>
<p>It’s very funny how 80-90% of the people in PreCalc will buy an 83 or 84 and make it through the year not knowing what the 89 can do. Come halfway through Calculus AB, people start to regret that they got a Ti-84. By Calculus BC, you get people going “ugh… that’s the fancy calculator.” And you get people with C’s or B’s begging to borrow an 89 from someone to use it on the test hahahahahhaha totally can abuse it if you’re good at BSing work.</p>
<p>Get an 89 or higher. You could get a way with an 83 or 84 in Calc, but you have to do more calculations. The 89 BAM! does it right then and there for you. I just got an 89 and it’s different from my previous calculators but I love it.</p>