TI Calculators: FYI

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>A lot of people have posted about TI calculators in the past few days, so I thought I’d share the differences between them here.</p>

<p>TI-83: Typically seen in the “plus” variety, this is the bread and butter graphing calculator that most everyone uses in high school. It is slowly being phased out in favor of the TI-84. This is seen as the minimum requirement for most classes.</p>

<p>TI-84: A newer version of the TI-83. Basically, it’s a little more powerful but serves the same basic purpose in terms of what it is used for. In many classes and on some tests, this is the highest calculator number you can use.</p>

<p>TI-86: This is a completely different calculator than the TI-84. It’s got a different architecture and is more powerful. If a class requires this, make sure you have this and not a TI-83/84.</p>

<p>TI-89: Even more powerful than a TI-86. Typically the highest powered calculator you can use for a class or test. Some don’t permit this model since it has lots of algebra/simplification features built in. The interface is different and works more like a computer.</p>

<p>OTHER MODELS</p>

<p>TI-82: Basically the older version of the TI-83. I don’t think this one is in production anymore.</p>

<p>TI-85: The predecessor to the TI-86. Fills the same basic purpose in the lineup.</p>

<p>TI-92: Sort of a small laptop. Looks like a very large Franklin speller machine (if anyone’s ever used one, you know about these…we had them in fifth grade). This one isn’t allowed by 99% of the tests and classes.</p>

<p>THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND</p>

<li><p>You probably have a TI-83 or TI-84 kicking around from high school. Don’t sell it or give it away in case you get a professor who doesn’t like higher powered machines (if you decide to buy one).</p></li>
<li><p>If a course requires a certain model of calculator, use it. Usually you can use a higher powered model as well, just make sure you know where to find the functions on it if they’re different (like if you use a TI-89 for stats instead of a TI-83…the keystrokes given in class won’t make sense).</p></li>
<li><p>When you take a test, keep a set of batteries with you in case the calculator conks out. I watched a friend’s calculator die in high school and have carried the extras ever since (and actually replaced them during a trig test in high school once). Your prof won’t mind if you do, in fact he will probably think more of you for being prepared. Plus you won’t lose your calc.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t forget to keep a four function or a scientific around in the unlikely event the prof or test doesn’t like graphing calculators.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>A few mores notes you might want to add...</p>

<p>In general, beyond basic mathematics function, the 83/84 series are best for statistics, the 86 is more for engineering, and the 89 is for things involving calculus and beyond.</p>

<p>92+ is almost exactly like the 89 except for the larger size and keyboard feature. The reason it tends to get banned is because it's a lot easier to type in notes to the 92+.</p>

<p>The 85 is a pretty horrible calculator, and pretty much should only be used if you have one as a hand-me-down and are pretty poor. I think the 86 was released not too long after the 85 to fill in a bunch of glaring omissions from the 85.</p>

<p>At least the with the TI-83, you get a decent amount of time after the first "low battery" message until the thing actually stops working. So as long as you don't have get that message going into a test, it's very unlikely it'll die during the course of a test.</p>

<p>At my school, pretty much anything that would require computation is either doable with a basic scientific calculator, or they have us doing with computer programs. When you actually get to the real world and need to do computing, you're not going to have an 83+, you're going to have Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Minitab, and maybe even some software not starting with M.</p>

<p>Also, for my economics class we only allowed to use a basic 4-function calculator on tests.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
The 85 is a pretty horrible calculator, and pretty much should only be used if you have one as a hand-me-down and are pretty poor. I think the 86 was released not too long after the 85 to fill in a bunch of glaring omissions from the 85.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Can you elaborate? I will have to use a TI-85 for calculus this year. :(</p>