<p>besides a graphing calculator, is there any particular (scientific) calculator that engineers prefer to use?</p>
<p>I've seen so many different calculators being used on exams here in structural engineering at UIUC that it's ridiculous. The only thing I've been able to conclude from the sheer number of calculators I've seen here is that it's really a matter of personal preference. The most important thing is to get a calculator that you're really comfortable with. </p>
<p>Still, if reverse Polish notation is your gig, or scientific notation, or qwerty-keyed calcs, or inverse Swedish parametric notation, or whatever... Shop around for the one you're going to like best.</p>
<p>I personally know every darned bell and whistle of my beloved TI-83 that I've been using for a decade and you'd have to shoot me and pry the thing from my cold dead hands in order to make me give it up.</p>
<p>Don't think that your calculator needs to be so souped up that it'd beat Kasparov in a friendly game of chess, either... In an academic setting, you'll have access to computer labs, which means that in all likelihood, you can use MATLAB or Maple or Mathematica to do any really crunchy integrals. Despite the hundreds of dollars that all my tutoring students have invested in high-tech calculators over the years, I still beat them to the punch in figuring out the answer because I'm just so familiar with my calculator.</p>
<p>So, in short (too late...), it's pretty much a personal preference, and can vary wildly from individual to individual.</p>
<p>TI-89 hands down.</p>
<p>Ti-89 >> Ti-83</p>
<p>The current generation of newly graduated engineers and students prefer the TI89 hands down. </p>
<p>I've had mine for probably 7 years now and love it.</p>
<p>So when should I dump my Ti-83 for a 89?</p>
<p>I dumped my 83 for an 89 half way through this year (senior in high school). Still getting used to it, but that integral button is a calc student's best friend. :D</p>
<p>Depends on your situation. However, the best answer would be: whenever you find yourself limited by your resources (calculator). </p>
<p>Those still in high school will be fine with the 83. I wouldn't recommend an 89 for those still in high school, because you need to learn the basics instead of relying on your calculator to do all your math for you. Even though your calculator CAN do complex integrals, you need to learn to do them by hand first. It is too easy to get dependent on a calculator if thats what you start with. Therefore, stick with an 83 through high school. Once you learn the basics, then you can move on to the 89.</p>
<p>Ok so I think I shall get a 89 when I am a sophomore. I plan on taking Calc 1 and 2 over again, thus.</p>
<p>some professors dont' let u use the Ti 89 because of diff. eq...so Ti-83+</p>
<p>I love my 89, but I know some people who have HP calcs and love them.
I think im a TI fan since I grew up in the birthplace of TI and my school was in the tester programs for the calculators. (Heck, I know people who still have the ones that say property of TI .. and we never returned them) Ive also found my TI takes a beating and lives.</p>
<p>TI's are best when it comes to algebraic crunching, which is why it's around the most popular choices in the student world.
HP is much more widespread in the work world given it does numeric stuff better.</p>
<p>If you are going for TI, 89 >> 83.</p>
<p>In retrospect, the day I leaned to use a reverse Polish HP calculator was one of the best days of my life (geeky, but true!) I'm an economist, but it was an engineering student who insisted I try an HP, xxx's and ooo's to him for that!</p>
<p>You guys get to use calculators in your math classes?</p>
<p>Ti-83... It's the highest-end calculator that I know how to make full use of. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I never use my calculator in math... for math class, I use Maple.</p>
<p>Everyone has always told me that a TI-89 is so helpful for getting through calculus/scorign well on the AP exams, but I've always gotten by just fine w/ my TI-83. Sure, it'd be nice to be able to check answers w/ an 89, but I see far too many kids that are completely reliant on it. I'd rather be forced to learn how to do it by hand using a calculator that can assist me but not do the problem for me completely.</p>
<p>That said, Maple is awesome for evaluating stupid, nasty triple integrals in my current Calc III class.</p>
<p>TI graphing calculators, particularly the TI-89, are often regarded as having the best symbolic math capabilities. Of course, a PC with Mathematica or Maple is good too.</p>
<p>HP calculators with RPN, such as the HP48 or HP49, are often regarded as the best for number-crunching. Of course, a PC with Excel is good too.</p>
<p>Engineering students are often surprised to discover that all graphing calculators (including those listed above) are flatly banned on the FE exam. If you plan to take the FE (or PE) exam, you will need to give up your graphing calculator (at least temporarily) and readjust to a basic scientific.</p>
<p>Ti-89 is good. I had mine since junior year hs. old school one.</p>
<p>Woah woah woah children you don't use your Calculator for math class, remember math class is for math not for your calculator. I use my TI-89 not to take integrals but I prefer it because of its interface. For example, during a quiz in some other class that requires me to do the same calculation multiple times I can scroll up in the history and change numbers for each calculation the guys using the TI-83 end up retyping the formula each time. I save time and get more time on the quiz. My school doesn't allow Calculators on most tests anyways (especially math tests.)
But I like the TI-89 mostly because of the interface.</p>