Calculator of choice?
Calculator of choice?
(OP)
Hey all!
My trusty TI-83 Plus decided that it no longer wants to work so I am in the market for a new calculator. I still have my bare bones one from that I bought for the FE but I can't program it to do repetative equations. What is everyone's calc of choice? I am leaning towards a TI-89. My plan is to be in grad school within the next 5 years as well so I would want to use it for that as well.
My trusty TI-83 Plus decided that it no longer wants to work so I am in the market for a new calculator. I still have my bare bones one from that I bought for the FE but I can't program it to do repetative equations. What is everyone's calc of choice? I am leaning towards a TI-89. My plan is to be in grad school within the next 5 years as well so I would want to use it for that as well.





RE: Calculator of choice?
I, like you, burned through my share of TIs and Casios. But I saw the kids at work were all using HPs. Once you get through learning the RPN (it really only takes a couple days), you'll never want to go back. They're very solid. They last for many years.
Of course, the problem is that they really don't make the workhorse HPs, like the 48GX or the 41, anymore. You might be able to get a refurbished 48SX or GX aftermarket. They have programmable capabilities, where you can input your own equations. They've reissued the 15C which I just got, but I'm not familiar with it enough to go through the programming.
I'll leave it to others to discuss the TI's and others.
RE: Calculator of choice?
Maui
www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
Now have HP32S, HP33S, HP15, HP41CV, HP45, and HP12C. Use the 32S daily.
Unbeatable!
eBay has a variety of HP calcs available...some new, some used.
RE: Calculator of choice?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
Has HP re-issued the 11C also? I've been using mine for 25 years and the replace battery light has been flashing for about 2 years. (crap- I wish I hadn't done the math on how long I have been using this- now I feel old)
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
Never really got used to any of my calculators in the same way since then, I've tended to use programs on the PC for anything vaguely complex/repetative.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Calculator of choice?
and it seems that nobody wants to steal it, like they did with my TI 59 and Hp calculators.
B.E.
The good engineer does not need to memorize every formula; he just needs to know where he can find them when he needs them. Old professor
RE: Calculator of choice?
Many years age I had a bout with a boss who want me to show my work. After excel came along I never wanted to program a calculator again (I also did not have to show my work).
I doubt my former boss looked at my work anyway.
RE: Calculator of choice?
Since I needed a non-programmable calculator for a series of exams I am doing, I discovered the Casio 115ES. What an amazing machine!!! For $15-$20 per, buy a few. Highly recommend.
RE: Calculator of choice?
http://xkcd.com/768/
RE: Calculator of choice?
(If you are done with exams, ignore the above)
IC
RE: Calculator of choice?
11c prices on eBay are high. Saw one for about $60, but all others were > $150.
15c reissue is $100
RE: Calculator of choice?
Color display!!; WAAY better graphing than TI-83, and possibly even the TI-89. Lots of neat functions like prime factoring; ability to create documentation, although that's probably easier done with the PC-based emulator of the calculator); the document sheets basically make it a programmable calculator, except that it's using readable algebraic notation.
Actually, I've got the CX as well as the monochrome CAS calculator, which has some interesting functions of its own.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize
RE: Calculator of choice?
Looking at Amazon, it looks like TIs still rool the roost in graphing calculator market share, if that matters to you.
http:/
BTW, there are also such things as TI emulators which you could use to test drive a few different models before purchasing one:
http://
The same website also offers a nice roundup of differences and family lines in the TI lineup:
http://www.ticalc.org/basics/calculators/
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
Designer of machine tools - user of modified screws
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Calculator of choice?
I love RPN.
B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering
http://bwengr.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
Conversely, a meaningful visual representation (i.e., it looks like the equation I'd write out by hand), accuracy of entry, and the ability to easily verify that accuracy are of supreme importance, both in my work and taking the PE exam. So I've always preferred calculators with algebraic entry and a history or ticker-tape.
I no longer carry a dedicated calculator, just as I no longer carry a dedicated camera or music player; it's another task for my Android smartphone. Unfortunately, I haven't found what I would consider an excellent calculator app. They tend to mimic the old-school calculators to a fault - a jumble of fixed function buttons and a tiny window for input and output.
There is an app called Mathlab Calc that is being actively developed and shows promise. It uses a web-service as its calculation engine, however, so without an Internet connection, it doesn't work.
(The old Windows Mobile had some excellent math applications, including a version of the MathCAD-like SMath Studio and MathTablet.)
Rob Campbell, PE
Imagitec: Imagination - Expertise - Execution
imagitec.net
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
My calculator needs are as follows, "should cost less than $20". Yeah, I'm cheap but also, anything like taking a log or a sine is much quicker on a cheap calculator than typing the numbers into the PC. Anything more complex is more quickly accomplished by a CAD program.
RE: Calculator of choice?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
I am so used to RPN that I don't know how to use a regular calculator very well. Its sometimes embarrassing if I have to use someone elses.
B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering
http://bwengr.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
Lucky you.
I miss my Casio FX4000P. It was stolen when someone broke into my car. They took my crappy old back-up pair of glasses and my briefcase. The Casio was in the briefcase, and worth perhaps $1.22CDN. The briefcase was new, and the only remotely valuable thing they got.
RE: Calculator of choice?
I'd buy a cheapo TI, Casio, or HP and use Excel, MathCad, or similar if you need graphing capabilities.
RE: Calculator of choice?
http://ww
Maui
www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
I'm much more interested in a web app that provides a decent worksheet/engineering notebook interface like MathCAD or SMath Studio, even if it isn't WYSIWYG.
Rob
Imagitec: Imagination - Expertise - Execution
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
RE: Calculator of choice?
Which is going to be even more odd for me as I'm a programmer... beads, bits, whatever.
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Calculator of choice?