Ever Own a Programmable Calculator ??

[pimentoLoaf]

Make, model, and year -- and what do you use it for?

[Sun Baked]

HP 48SX, don't use the program part much.

Since I've already put in the needed formulas.

But for calculating a bunch of numbers, converting units, and using the formula - the calculator sitting above my keyboard is a lot quicker than opening up a book, the calculator, or Excel.

[pimentoLoaf]

In my case, an HP-34c back in college; I used it rather extensively for chemistry and it had an integration function that worked well in physics (but the professor wouldn't let me use it during exams).

Couldn't find batteries for it in mid-95, so I got an HP-32sII -- a combo algebraic and RPN -- that was LCD 'stead of LED, and much lighter and thinner.

My dad ran off to a Batteries Plus store with the 34's battery-pack and discovered, once disassembled, that replacements did exist, though not with an HP logo. Snapping in two new to the plastic carrier, plug the pack in the calculator, and my dad was soon learning the joys of RPN and programming.

My dad used to be an electronics engineer at Wisconsin Telephone for 42 years -- he enjoyed programming the thing for awhile, but he doesn't do that anymore. Just uses the thing for taxes and other financial things.

Me? Just puttering around with 'em and... er, uhm... taxes and other financial things. (Gotta double-check Quicken, ya know. :) )

[3rdpath]

back in college i was a master of the hp12c...required for the finance degree.

now i use a simple ba-II.

when i was really young i used the original programmable calc....

a slide-rule... ;)

[Over Achiever]

Lets see...I was in UMTYMP, which is like an accelerated math program...so...

I've had, used, and lost/misplaced/was stolen these calculators:


TI-82 (I still have it buried in a box somewhere)
TI-85 (It was stolen within the year)
TI-86 (Used it to replace the stolen TI-85, used it for a couple years before it got stolen. It was great with games)
TI-92 (I bought it when I started to learn calculus...still have it, but don't use it much anymore after the TI-89...too BIG. Also a big waste of money)
TI-89 (Bought it when by TI-86 was stolen...works great for what I need to do)


So yeah...I've mainly used the TI-86 and 89 in recent memory...the only programming I've done on them have been simple things...looping calculations really.

Although I did program extensively for one project on my TI-92...it was to model/simulate the formation of crystals when manufacturing black and white film...but again, it mainly did a "inductive" like sequence and plotted the results.

[scem0]

I need a calculator. I am only in Geometry (H) in highscool, but I
plan on using this calculator for a long time. Those for function
calculators wont server me too well in Algebra II when we are
working with radicals, or this year when we are working with
cosign, tangent, and all that good stuff. I don't know what model
will be best, and will last me through highschool, and (hopefully)
college. I am definitely going to get a Texas instruments calc, but
which model. Ti86? :confused:

[King Cobra]

Originally posted by scem0
I don't know what model will be best, and will last me through highschool, and (hopefully) college. I am definitely going to get a Texas instruments calc, but which model. Ti86? :confused:

If you plan to work with numbers and variables a lot, especially if you plan on taking high level math courses (such as myself), I would recommend the TI-89. I would have recommended the TI-92 Plus, except that particular model is illegal to use for almost all state tests.

You may hear a lot of people saying you should get a TI-83, because of user convenience and easy programming, and because so many people cannot afford the TI-89. But for $150 the TI-89 can accomplish so many tasks a TI-83 could not solve.

Example: Solve for X:

[King Cobra]

Originally posted by Over Achiever
I've had, used, and lost/misplaced/was stolen these calculators:


TI-82 (I still have it buried in a box somewhere)
TI-85 (It was stolen within the year)
TI-86 (Used it to replace the stolen TI-85, used it for a couple years before it got stolen. It was great with games)
TI-92 (I bought it when I started to learn calculus...still have it, but don't use it much anymore after the TI-89...too BIG. Also a big waste of money)
TI-89 (Bought it when by TI-86 was stolen...works great for what I need to do)


Damn. I feel for you man, seriously. I can't imagine how they could just get "stolen" like that. I guard my TI-89 like an eagle whenever it is nearby, because I don't think my parents could afford to pay $150 for a new calculator. :)

To respond to this thread, though I have worked with my calc for over a year, I never bothered going near the programming features.

[topicolo]

I'm still using the TI-85 I got 6 years ago. I actually prefer the smaller nongraphing calculators now because they are the only ones allowed during exams at my university. For more complex stuff, I just use a graphing calculator program on my Palm m505.

[Will Jones]

Casio CFX-9850G. I've had it for about two years. No complaints other than it's rather limited memory (32KB). I find that most people use TI's... and that makes me somewhat special ;).

[G4scott]

I have a TI-89, and I love it. The solve function, and many other algebra and calculus functions built in make my life so much easier.

I also like that I'm able to make my own functions and stuff...

I once made a 3-D maze using the basic code, but it got wiped out when I launched an assembly program that froze, and I had to reset the calculator. It was like, a bummer...

I also love the TI-89 for physics. If you're doing physics, the TI-89 is god. It owns. You can do calculations with units, and it'll give you the final answer in the proper units. There are also many programs for it, and the screen has a higher resolution, and can display more. After using the 89, everything else just seems pathetic... Of course, I don't use HP programmable calculators that much, but I've seen one with the solve function, that shows you the steps it goes through to solve it.

[idkew]

i was really good a programming my ti-85 back in high school.

it got me through many a math class, not for cheating, but i would program it to do calculations, and that would make me remember it.

never read the book on how to program it. i would just look at other programs and get ideas on how things worked and then fiddle around until it did what i wanted.

although- i think that they should be outlawed in school, in certain situations. lots and lots of people use them to cheat, and get away with it.

[al256]

I just bought a TI-83+ Silver Edition and I'm happy with it. The TI-89 looks good too. One thing I think no has mentioned is that Texas Instruments still doesn't have an OS X app for these calcs. It works in classic, though. Have fun.

[MacAztec]

I have a Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus. I use it for chatting in class, and doing work on;.

[cr2sh]

HP 48GX... once you go stack based memory you'll never go back.

[mc68k]

own: ti-85, 89

have programmed: ti-80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 89

in fact, ti-basic is what got me into computer programming