Ti Calculator Question

My 14 yr old son is starting high school in September. The required book and accessory list from the school lists a Ti84+ calculator as mandatory with the Ti84+ silver as optional.

Before we run out and buy either, I have a brand new Ti92 still in a sealed package (in typical RFD tradition I picked it up for $20 when Office Depot closed their Barrie store).

Help me out here - It's been so long since I purchased a complex calculator (since I have been out of university since 1980, all I have purchased is dollar store calculators).

In my day the desired calculator was the SR52. (I guess I'm showing my age here )

So:

Can my kid make due with the Ti92? is it a viable equivalent of the Ti84+?
What are the differences and was a $20 Ti92 a worthwhile purchase?

The TI-92 would be much harder for him to use since the interface is different. The instructions in all the math textbooks are for the TI-83/TI-84. I'd sell the TI-92 on eBay (you should be able to get $80 for it) and buy the TI-84.

The school adminstration/math department is stupid, for lack of a better word. Grade 9 Academic Math, I mean...do they seriously need a graphing calculator to graph a straight line. Ok, b is y-intercept, m is the slope (you can predict how it will be steep/narrow/flat based on the number). That's all you do. I think it's a BS move based on the administration.

The TI92 is much more powerful than the TI84(+), and I really doubt that any teacher would allow it to be used. It can output general derivatives and integrals of functions (the TI84 can only give specific numerical values), and it can do a whole bunch of other things that are too useful for highschool students.

And I agree that a graphing calculator is overkill for even a Gr.12 student taking Calculus or Geo. and Discrete.

It's building bad habits actually. Once he moves on to grade 10...when they do parabolas, if the teacher asks find the vertex. They'll be reliant on the calculator and not fully understand it.

from amazon.com : Over 500 KB memory for storing functions, programs, and data
They're restricting you to ti84 because it's easy for him to cheat with this.
.54 MB of RAM, 480 KB Flash ROM; 30 pre-loaded Apps (ti84)

ok...that might not be the reason..

Even with the limited RAM, it's still plenty easy to cheat with a TI84.

Originally Posted by red_roses101

from amazon.com : Over 500 KB memory for storing functions, programs, and data
They're restricting you to ti84 because it's easy for him to cheat with this.
.54 MB of RAM, 480 KB Flash ROM; 30 pre-loaded Apps (ti84)

ok...that might not be the reason..

Yeah, you can easily cheat with the TI-84. We were allowed to use it on our grade 12 data exam so the teacher came around and checked everyones calculator during the exam to make sure that people didn't have text in their calculators.

And I agree, I don't think you need one in Grade 9. I didn't buy one until Grade 12 data because even though they were provided in class, it was very useful for homework. It also came in handy for calculus homework to check solutions to word problems.

probably wont need the calculator at all for all four years of high school....i just used mine to play tetris lol

If you're child excels at math, it'll be a waste of money. That said, if you buy like a Ti-83+ or a Ti-84, he/she can still use in grade 12 if they decide to take calculus/data management.

Also, there are internet sites that can graph the single functions that he/she will probably be doing anyway.

You honestly dont need it in grade 9.

I bought one for my senior math classes last semester, they helped for checking if my answers were correct, but nothing else. Data management would utilize it the most imo. Though if your kid's school is stupid, he can cheat on the chem/phy tests by storing formulas and notes. Rather get a 95 cheating than 90 without, right.

In any case, grade 9/10 marks dont count anyways. Make him learn the foundations during these two years and stick him with a crap $20 calculator (no graphing) the schools NEVER actually use it, because people almost never buy em.

Being a recent high school graduate (going to second year university), and now a Teacher Candidate at queen's, there is definitely no need for a graphing calculator... the advantages that it provides do not justify the cost. The way that the calculators are used in the curriculum is a supplementary roles.

After a concept is introduced, students will go through the traditional pencil-and-paper method; then they'd re-do the same thing on the calculator. The textbook would provide the steps to it. As it's been said already, a TI 92 wouldn't be appropriate as the interface is drastically different.

Having said that, I'd find out how much the calculators are used. There are alternatives; Graphmatica is a software that takes in a function and graphs it. It used to be free, and now charges $25 *shrugs*. That program got me through high school, and a 4.0 GPA in first yr calculus.

PS: it's not even allowed to be used on tests and exams in many high school and university courses. It strictly stipulates that only non-programmable calculators can be used.

PSS: I highly recommend the Casio 991 calculator. Goes for 20 dollars, will carry you through high school, and well beyond in university.

I 2nd (3rd, 4th???) the comment that he doesn't need that calc. I'm doing my masters in engineering and I rarely use my TI-89. Quite frankly, this is a perfect opportunity for him to truly "understand" numbers as opposed to just putting in the data and getting an answer.

we have too many people who can't even take a guess at what 50.5*19.5 is.

Originally Posted by Sylvestre

I 2nd (3rd, 4th???) the comment that he doesn't need that calc. I'm doing my masters in engineering and I rarely use my TI-89. Quite frankly, this is a perfect opportunity for him to truly "understand" numbers as opposed to just putting in the data and getting an answer.

we have too many people who can't even take a guess at what 50.5*19.5 is.

Unfortunately, they made the calculator mandatory. As a result of this, he can't be the only kid in the class without the calculator. I agree that having the calculator is taking the easy way out. However, I will not subject my kid to the embarassment of being the only kid without.

I am teaching him responsibility by having him make a contribution to the cost of the calculator - which will motivate him to be careful not to misplace or damage it.

Originally Posted by plymouthhater

Unfortunately, they made the calculator mandatory. As a result of this, he can't be the only kid in the class without the calculator. I agree that having the calculator is taking the easy way out. However, I will not subject my kid to the embarassment of being the only kid without.

I am teaching him responsibility by having him make a contribution to the cost of the calculator - which will motivate him to be careful not to misplace or damage it.

Instead, get the TI 83+ as an alternative, they won't knock you down for having it, it's cheaper, and it does the exact same stuff (but slower).

He won't be needing the speed (extra RAM that the 84 has) anyways, so may as well save yourself some dough.

Originally Posted by plymouthhater

was a $20 Ti92 a worthwhile purchase?

If it's just sitting there and collecting dust than it's a worthless purchase. If you actually do need it, it's a friggin bargain.

I've only used graphing calculator for one class in University that was because the matricies we had to do was quite big. WIth the graphic calculator it was a joke, since I programmed all the functions I need for that course.