<p>I am taking AP Calculus BC currently. I will be going into an engineering program for college later on.</p>
<p>Question is, should I get an 89 calc right now? I'd like to learn it now so it would be more beneficial + would like to use it on the AP test.</p>
<p>Also, I wanted to make sure the TI-89 Titanium isn't going to be replaced by some new calculator anytime soon. (Nspire? *** is Nspire?)</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Very few textbooks have functions for 89. Plus it has a way higher learning curve.</p>
<p>I don't know if the nSpire is available in stores right now but I got one through the school. It's great because it has 2 keypads one of which is like the 83 so you can use it with any textbook. Plus it has more computing power than 89 so I'd say...just stick with your current graphing calculator and wait for nSpire.</p>
<p>But is nSpire something that can replace the 89? I don't know if it is something worth getting over the 89 for an engineering student.</p>
<p>If very complex math (not entry level engineering) and programming are your main concern, then 89 TITANIUM is better. Just be warned that its learning curve is over the top.</p>
<p>Not really about the learning curve. I started early with graphing calculators (I got a TI 83+ silver edition in 4th grade, used it through 7th grade, and got an 89 titanium in 8th grade). Now I'm a junior and still have both, use both. You guys act as if the 89 is some sort of monster machine; it is really very user friendly and common-sensish. Much like a mini computer, with "Copy" and "Paste" functions, too.</p>
<p>YES. Ti-89's blow the 83 out of the water. The learning curve is not that high, just take a day two practice. Once you get used to the different keys and layout, it becomes second nature. Then you can use the advanced (ti-89's based on CAS software like mathematica/maple/maxima) to do stuff that the 83 wouldnt dream about. the solve() command is invaluable: just type in the values (even symbolically) and itll give the answer. Calculus is built in.</p>
<p>The main strength is symbolic manipulation. Say you have x^4 + 2x^3 +x^2 + x +1 = 0. With the ti83, you really can't find the value of x w/o a slow method. with a ti-89, type "solve(x^4 + 2x^3 +x^2 + x +1 = 0,x)" and it'll give an answer. Or say x^2 = 3*y^3, solve for x in terms of y. A ti=83 can't do this. an 89 can solve for it.
For calculus, the ti-89 can differentiate and integrate symbolically as well as numerically, so you should buy it now. It'll make the ap test go much faster since you don't have to solve for variables and integrate for answers by hand. (except to show your work)</p>
<p>For programs: [url=<a href="http://www.ticalc.org%5Dticalc.org%5B/url">http://www.ticalc.org]ticalc.org[/url</a>]</p>
<p>i had an 84 for a couple of years, then lost it going into calc, so i decided to buy an 89</p>
<p>i would have to agree that having used both the ti-89 titanium is much better for calc, but in my calc class everyone else has a ti-83/84 so the teacher explains everything in terms of that but i figure out how to do it on 89 and if i don't i just goggle search when i get home.</p>
<p>one thing that rly got me upset about the ti89 was that when doing Riemann sums with just 10 rectangles it would give you the integral answer (even with the approximate function on) !</p>
<p>i would say the ti89 is worth it though, lol my calc 3 class next year requires that everyone buys one</p>
<p>and the algebra features (solve, factor, etc.) are really really helpful (although you can get programs that do the same for 83/84) and i would also say that the layout with the tabs makes lots of sense and is infact more user-friendly and that pretty print just owns by itself</p>
<p>IMO get it</p>
<p>ti-89 is sooo pwnage
w/o it u would DIE
haha =.=</p>
<p>abtxintel you can write a reiman sum function for the 89(or the 84 for that matter) fairly easily that will give you the the sum of whatever number of rectangles your looking for, evaluated at whatever position you want, although you would probably only ever use left, right, or middle. I'm sure you can find numerous code examples for such a program on google.</p>
<p>I was looking at the nSpire ... is it better to buy nSpire than the TI-89?</p>
<p>Having taken Calc III and currently taking Diff. Eq. I have found the 89 is very useful in higher level mathematics. Not only does the 89 do partial differentials and partial integration but it also displays the answers very nicely and even shows you in between steps. The only drawback to an 89 is that many teachers/professors don't allow them on tests because they do to much for you.</p>
<p>So the TI-89 is better than the nSpire CAS in the long run?</p>
<p>well...i say that u don't reallly need it..... i am taking the calculus bc this year...we have a classroom set for ti89 titanium...and our teacher advise us not to get it until it is required at college...some engineering class will not allow it...so i would just wait until something better or the teacher ask for it....</p>
<p>It is perfectly possible to do exceedingly well on the AP exam and on Ap HW, etc. without a TI-89. That said, there are times in class (Calc 2) where I was like, "if I'd been able to check that integral on a TI-89, I wouldn't have made that stupid mistake..."</p>
<p>It's up to you as to whether it's worth the extra $$</p>
<p>YES. get the 89. It is possible to do well on the ap without the 89, but I know it helped me alot. Once you have the 89, you won't know how you functioned before without it. It is especially helpful for weird integrals that you would have no idea how to approach. Would the nspire be allowed to be used on the ap?</p>