Does a good graphing calculator exist?

[Dash Lambda]

Couldn't find a place for this, so I put it in General Discussion.

 

Anyway, I've been looking around at graphing calculators, and I cannot justify spending any money on something with hardware so laughably, horrendously, absurdly outdated.

Yes, I know a graphing calculator doesn't have to be a supercomputer, but there's absolutely room for improvement.

 

To spare you an extended rant, I find it difficult to believe that not a single company has made a reasonably advanced graphing calculator in any way, shape, or form.... But I just can't find anything. Have any of you guys seen one?

[flibberdipper]

The TI-89 is literally the best thing you can get.

[potatoproduction]

11 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

Couldn't find a place for this, so I put it in General Discussion.

 

Anyway, I've been looking around at graphing calculators, and I cannot justify spending any money on something with hardware so laughably, horrendously, absurdly outdated.

Yes, I know a graphing calculator doesn't have to be a supercomputer, but there's absolutely room for improvement.

 

To spare you an extended rant, I find it difficult to believe that not a single company has made a reasonably advanced graphing calculator in any way, shape, or form.... But I just can't find anything. Have any of you guys seen one?

What is your definition of 'advanced'? All a calculator has to do is solve simple and slightly more complex algebra equations and be able to graph and display shapes. There is no reason to waste money on more ' advanced' hardware 

[straight_stewie]

6 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

To spare you an extended rant, I find it difficult to believe that not a single company has made a reasonably advanced graphing calculator in any way, shape, or form.... But I just can't find anything. Have any of you guys seen one?

At my Uni we aren't even allowed to use any calculators in any math classes. Science classes are different but my department prefers matlab to graphing calculators (Aerospace, so it's mostly matrix math anyway).

That said, if you're of the persuasion that using a calculator can somehow help you (it can actually hurt you, btw), take a look at HP's stuff: HP graphing calculators

[babadoctor]

>ABSOLUTELY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

are you serious right now

its a fugging calculator

there are free versions that run 200x faster on your phone (wabbimeitu)

[SpaceGhostC2C]

1 minute ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

Why the hell would you need good specs on a graphing calculator?

This. I mean, you may need stronger hardware, but at that point what you need is not hardware, but software: a graphic calculator app for smartphones.

[DarkEnergy]

Outdated? What would you want it to do that it can't currently? Create a light show when you input numbers? Cherry mx keypad? Ability to play music? 

[//FTP]

A TI-84 Plus Color Edition (CE) should be sufficient if your in high school.

[potatoproduction]

i think we all just got triggered collectively 

[Senzelian]

There are multiple graphing calculator apps for Android and iOS smartphones.
Maybe try one of those, but I don't know if those are "advanced" enough for you.

[DarkEnergy]

I forgot to add, android has a good app called Wabbitemu. It's pretty much a Ti calculator. 

[Beskamir]

Get whatever your school allows you to use on exams. Otherwise just use (or write) fancy software that you can run on your laptop/desktop.

[//FTP]

19 hours ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

You don't even need the color, although that is a nice touch

Yeah, I like the one without color. If I had the one with color then I would be playing games on it. Calculators are used for school and work, not games. I totally agree.

 

What your asking is like saying, "I NEED a gaming computer for school work".

[//FTP]

1 minute ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

Nah, it's like saying WHY WOULD I SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON A MICROWAVE? THE CPU DOESN'T EVEN SUPPORT HYPERTHREADING

LOL

[ARikozuM]

Abacus? Roman Numerals? Graphing!? What!? Since when?

 

Last I checked all you needed was marble and some chisels.

[Brandonsr]

I use a TI-84 plus for college and in my calculus classes. The TI-89 is not allowed for majority of the classes at my school and is considered too advanced.

[Enderman]

Well, there are online ones which are great and free.

If this is for school, then don't buy one.

It is a completely waste of money. Borrow one from the school or a friend, paying $100+ for a calculator you will use in one course is a waste.

Highschool and university math classes don't even allow regular calculators, you need to do everything by hand.

 

[DarkEnergy]

Just now, wrathoftheturkey said:

NOTE THE CAPS LOCK IN HIS VOICE. CONGRATS OP, THIS IS THE MOST FIRED UP THE LTT FORUM HAS GOTTEN SINCE SOME DUDE RECOMMENDED THE RAZER BLADE.

Think it's just you dude. Oh, and my microwave mines bitcoins, DOES YOURS? THAT'S WHAT i THOUGHT. 

[potatoproduction]

The TI-Inspire CX-CAS is the best calculator i know of

[ARikozuM]

4 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Well, there are online ones which are great and free.

If this is for school, then don't buy one.

It is a completely waste of money. Borrow one from the school or a friend, paying $100+ for a calculator you will use in one course is a waste.

Highschool and university math classes don't even allow regular calculators, you need to do everything by hand.

 

Most college courses require you to know how to use a calculator and to do it by hand. Most universities won't allow you to use your phone or laptop for graphing programs as it represents a risk.

[Enderman]

11 minutes ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

Unless you're in Stats, they use calculators a crapload

A scientific calculator which can solve 3x3 matrices is enough for stat and phys.

Also, for my stat class: 

• Simple scientific calculator (no graphing/programmable calculators, no cell phones or other electronic devices can be used as substitute)

 

6 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

Most college courses require you to know how to use a calculator and to do it by hand. Most universities won't allow you to use your phone or laptop for graphing programs as it represents a risk.

For math, you are not allowed to use any calculator.

For chem (at least at my university) you are only allowed to use a regular non-scientific calculator of a specific approved model.

For stat, only a non-programmable scientific calculator (that means no graphing calculators)

For physics, any calculator is fine, but a scientific calculator that can do matrices is all you need.

 

A phone or laptop can be sued in class or at home to help your learning.

That's also pretty much the only place other than physics where you can use a graphing calculator.

So there is no point in wasting money on a graphing calculator at all.

[//FTP]

19 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Well, there are online ones which are great and free.

If this is for school, then don't buy one.

It is a completely waste of money. Borrow one from the school or a friend, paying $100+ for a calculator you will use in one course is a waste.

Highschool and university math classes don't even allow regular calculators, you need to do everything by hand.

 

Why don't we just buy macs and use its calculator?

[Dash Lambda]

Good god.

 

Okay, I'll say a couple things:

 

-There's a difference between a four-function calculator and a graphing calculator.

 

-I'd love to use my phone or laptop, but those aren't exactly welcome in a lot of classes. I don't even think I need one, the issue is that I'm expected to use one and the material is arranged accordingly (for instance, Euler's method.).

 

-And believe me, I prefer doing math myself. I have a bit of a history with calculators. While I am looking for one for class-related reasons, I'm actually mostly asking this because I'm genuinely surprised that one doesn't exist, not because I absolutely must have one.

 

For the record, I bloody love my Ti-36X Pro.

 

19 hours ago, Enderman said:

For math, you are not allowed to use any calculator.

Sorry for the double post, this wasn't there when I was writing my last one.

 

Anyway...

They don't allow calculators in any math course? What classes are available?

[Enderman]

4 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

Sorry for the double post, this wasn't there when I was writing my last one.

 

Anyway...

They don't allow calculators in any math course? What classes are available?

No, all university math courses require you to do everything by hand and on paper.

No formula sheets, calculators, etc..

 

There was only one math class in highschool where i actually had to rent a graphing calc for like $20, but that was the only time in my life it was ever required.

Really glad I didn't buy one, because it would have been pretty useless in university.

[ARikozuM]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

No, all university math courses require you to do everything by hand and on paper.

No formula sheets, calculators, etc..

 

There was only one math class in highschool where i actually had to rent a graphing calc for like $20, but that was the only time in my life it was ever required.

Really glad I didn't buy one, because it would have been pretty useless in university.

What university did you go to?