How To Use A Graphing Calculator
Many schools nowadays allow students to use graphing calculators in maths, to aid them in their learning.
Graphing calculators are an extremely useful tool for students, scientists, engineers and mathematicians. They are basically handheld computers, much more powerful than normal calculators and capable of performing complex algebraic functions. With a larger graphical interface, they are best known for their ability to show graphical representations of mathematical equations, hence their name.
The Japanese company Casio first introduced graphing calculators in 1985 when they released their fx-7000G. Casio still makes graphing calculators today, but the market is now dominated by Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Texas Instruments (TI). Casio has since focused their marketing on the grade school and junior high school applications of graphing calculators, where HP and TI now control the high school, college, and professional markets.
Since most graphing calculators are allowed on standardized tests such as the SAT, they are a valuable tool for students. Some of the more modern models have a QWERTY keyboard setup and have thus been declared to be ‘computers’ and not calculators. These models are not allowed for use on the SAT, and are therefore not as popular amongst students, despite the benefits afforded by the keyboard layout.
The two most popular non-QWERTY style models today are the TI-89 Titanium Edition, and the HP-49G+. They are both generally as powerful as the QWERTY models, such as the TI-92 and the Voyage 2000, but are much smaller and more compact. Their prices are nearly the same in most stores and generally fall in the $140-160 USD range.
Personally, I am a long time user of TI model calculators and would recommend the TI-89 over the HP. The TI is capable of better resolution on its screen, and seems a little more user friendly. The TI is often thought to be marketed more for students and other non-professionals, and for their needs it is more than enough.
The HP does have an SD expansion card upgrade available that can allow users a virtually unlimited amount of memory, but I don’t see a need for more than the 2.7 MB the TI-89 Titanium comes with. When I was in college I was able to put all the programs and even games I wanted on my TI-89 with space left to spare. Plus, the HP has suffered from a series of manufacturing defects, which though they have since corrected, still has me a little uneasy about their products.
When buying a calculator, it’s a good idea to research what your exact needs are. Maybe you’re going to need a lot of memory and the HP-49G+ is better for your situation. If you don’t plan on using it for tests and don’t care about size, you might want to consider a QWERTY layout. Is there a specific model your instructor recommends? Are there specific models you aren’t allowed to use?
Whatever your needs may be and whether you are a student or a professional, graphing calculators can be a valuable asset to help you better understand the complex world that is graphical mathematics.
