Electronics : Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator |
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Rating:  - * solid calculator - comparison to others ... I've been using a TI-83+ for about five years. They are solid calculators with an easy-to-understand programming language. They have almost every function you need and are great for just about anything you do in high school. However, a lot of reviews are ruling out the TI-89, saying it's hard to understand or it has functions you don't need in high school. However, the TI-89 shouldn't be entirely written off for high school math because 1) it can factor for you 2) it can solve equations for you 3) it can calculate derivatives and definite integrals. It can also express things in terms of "x" which the TI-83+ cannot. It's also a lot easier to understand, but it is very different from a TI-83+, so it's mostly just unfamiliar to users of the TI-83+. The TI-84 and its various incarnations have become more popular for some reason. The main differences are that the TI-84 has between 2 and 3 times the processing speed of the TI-83+ and has a lot more memory. Those two attributes are only useful if you do a lot of programming, and for me the TI-83+ works just fine. The other differences are mostly cosmetic - the TI-84 looks cooler, the interface is cleaned up a little, the buttons are in curved lines rather than straight ones (something I actually find very annoying). However, the two calculators are basically the same in terms of functionality, so it's up to you. I prefer the TI-83+ myself. If you're considering buying a graphing calculator or a scientific calculator, buy the graphing calculator. It's a lot easier to use and the large screen means you can see past entries really easily. Plus, it's a lot easier to store multiple values. Anyway, I hope you do the right thing and get your hands on this calculator! Rating: - * Fine, just fine! ... One of the finest little calculating machines ever developed. It covers 99% of the common math spectrum, and can stand up to quite a bit of punishment. Mine's been thrown across the room, dropped, stepped on, and had the batteries put in backwards during it's 10 years of service. Still going strong, this calculator is all you need from 6th grade to college graduation. Rating:  - * User friendly, general use ... The strong point of this calculator is it's user-friendliness. It's not the ultimate powerhouse which is normal as there are multiple higher rated models even from the same manufacturer TI. However it has a reasonable numerical solver, an acceptable plotting feature and is rather strong in statistics including curve fitting. The TI-83 combines a lot of functionality with a mild learning curve. Nowadays you should probably get the comparable TI-84 Rating: - * Great little machine! ... I'm not a math whiz, but ever since I squeaked by calculus in college, I vowed someday to really understand it. Recently I bought a calc course for non-whizzes and I figured it would be helpful to have graphing capability. The TI-83 Plus was a great find. The manual is detailed on every aspect of its operation with examples of each use. I'm learning more than calculus by going through the manual. The calculator itself is laid out well with keys big enough for big fingers. The graphing screen is clear and "zoomable" so you can work with very small increments. I think you can get better ones for more money but I love my 83+. Rating: - * calculating ... I purchased this calculator for a college class and had a little trouble getting used to it. The calculator itself was very nice, but needed some more help with effectively using it. |
