I have a Ti-84 and HP 50g, should I buy a Ti-89 for AP Calc and Math IIC?

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
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<p>I have a Ti-84 and HP 50g, should I buy a Ti-89 for AP Calc and Math IIC? The thing is I've heard about the hundreds (thousands?) of great programs created by people that really help save time on the standarized tests. I like my HP 50g and I've used it for about a half a year but it does not have programs specifically designed for the tests. </p>

<p>Are there calculus/ Math IIC programs for the Ti-84? I'm not too familiar with programs for the Ti's but I was just browsing on the ti-calc.org and literally found tons uploaded each day. If you are familiar with the 89 and the programs, will it get you the highest score possible?</p>

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<p>Truth be told, I would base the decision more strongly on the type of calculator that your teacher uses for class. You’re more likely to get some additional resources there, and it’ll be easier to follow keystrokes working with the TI-84.</p>

<p>If you’re familiar with the TI-84, the TI-89 takes some serious getting used to. I think that the time expenditure there, combined with the fact that it can’t really do that much more for you on the exam anyway, makes it not worth the investment.</p>

<p>I teach a class where I provide no programs for the students, and there are many, many, many students who earn a 5 each year. Too many students who become reliant on the programs don’t know how to do the necessary parts on the non-calculator section (at least in my experience).</p>

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<p>In rereading what I said at first, what I intended was…</p>

<p>“Truth be told, I would base the decision more strongly on the type of calculator that your teacher uses for class. You’re more likely to get some additional resources there, and it’ll be easier to follow keystrokes for your teacher’s calculator.”</p>

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<p>Should I just continue with my Hp 50g and try to do Calculus calculations with it? I don’t know which type of calculator (ti’s or hp’s) will serve me better in the long run (throughout college).</p>

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<p>Noooooo (1000x o’s). Not necessary AT ALL. Perhaps even detrimental to your understanding of calculus.</p>

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<p>Calculators serve no purpose in calculus except to spit out numbers and show you graphs. Doing calculus by hand is more rewarding and contributes to better understanding.</p>

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<p>i got an 800 on math (satI) and although i used an 89, i did not use any programs or any hints. just study.</p>

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<p>Try whatever is most comfortable to you. Finding integrals and derivatives of extensive functions quickly through a calculator can save you lots of time during a timed test [AP Calc AB or BC]. I don’t know how its used in college, but you should understand the concepts that you are typing into your calculator before actually making the calculation.</p>

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<p>Our BC teacher taught class using the ti-83, because some parts of the test actually require that you know how to use your calculator. I say, just study and know the stuff and a Ti-83 will serve you fine.</p>

<p>The BC grade distribution is amazing, something around 40% of kids get a 5.</p>

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<p>^^ that, I think, is in part because many of the students have taken AB, so they’re more likely to get a 5.</p>

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<p>the AB curve is very generous too</p>

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<p>Noooooo Way!!!
You don’t need to get any different Calculator at all, I took the SATII Math II and got a 780 with a TI- 83, and I used it for maybe ten problems out of 60. And For calc, you never use a calculator except to check answers or to cheat to get them, sooo.
There is really no need for you to get anything other than what you have…</p>

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<p>This is just misinformation. There are a number of questions on the AP Calculus exam where a calculator is required. For instance, most years, question #1 tends to feature an area between two curves question, and more and more often, either the intersection points or the integrand itself is something that cannot be calculated by hand.</p>

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<p>Also, fundamental theorem of calculus anyone?</p>

<p>Often they give you a really horrible derivative and then they ask you to find how much of the stuff being accumulated has accumulated between 2 hours or 5 hours, etc. or how much water leaves the tank after 10 hours.</p>

<p>In such cases, they want to test your knowledge of the fundamental theorem, and not how to take a derivative. In other questions, they may test the latter and not the former, etc. </p>

<p>More useful than giving your students programs is teaching them how to create programs for calculus …</p>

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<p>Don’t forget particle motion! ;P</p>

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<p>If you’re a G with the 89, I’d say roll with it, buy one, whatever.</p>

<p>I am a whiz kid with the 89, and without it, I’m nothing.</p>

<p>But, I’d use the calculator with which I’m most handy/able… cramming an 89 will never work. Get is like frosh year HS.</p>