A92: TI-92 Plus


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A92: TI-92 Plus



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|             TI-92 Plus Faq converted to text by Grant Stockly                |
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What is the TI-92 Plus Module?
        The TI-92 Plus Module is a module that plugs into the back of ALL
existing TI-92's, expanding the functionality to include: More memory (RAM
and User Data Archive). Advanced Mathematics Software which consists of
additional software features beyond the capabilities of the TI-92 software.
The ability to upgrade your TI-92 Plus (TI-92 with TI-92 Plus Module
installed) to future software versions electronically... without buying a
new calculator.

Why did TI produce the TI-92 Plus Module?
        TI listened to professors, teachers, and students using the TI-92
and heard the need for:
* More memory to store functions, programs, data, and Geometry figures and
macros.
* More advanced mathematics features, including Differential Equations and
Linear Algebra, as well as many other features for college mathematics,
engineering, and high school.
* A way to upgrade software functionality without having to pay for a whole
new calculator. The TI-92 Plus Module provides these features.

How much more memory does the TI-92 Plus Module have?
       The TI-92 Plus Module provides two types of additional memory:
* It has an additional 128K more RAM, for a total of 256K RAM. This gives
188K total user-available RAM for computations and for storing additional
functions, programs, and data.
* The TI-92 Plus Module also has 384K of User Data Archive. Use this
archive for storing additional functions, programs, and data. Storing files
to the User Data Archive frees up your RAM.

<H2>What is Advanced Mathematics Software?</H2>

Advanced Mathematics Software is the name of the additional software
features available from the
TI-92 Plus Module.  These additional software features are incorporated
into the existing TI-92 user interface to make it as user-friendly as the
TI-92, and to add more functionality for college mathematics and
engineering.

Advanced Mathematics Software includes:

* Symbolic Differential Equation Solving
* Numeric Differential Equation Graphing
* Additional Linear Algebra, e.g. eigenvalues, eigenvectors, functions of
matrices, LU and QR         decompositions
* 3D Rotation and Contour Plots
* Systems of Equations Solving
* Units of Measure
* Interactive Numeric Solver
* Expanded Statistics features, like Sine and Logistic Regression models,
and a Modified Box Plot
* Geometry Enhancements - Check Properties for Member and Equidistant, and
expanded Redefinition tool
* Languages in Geometry - menus and messages in English, Spanish, Italian,
French and German.
* Assembly language programming
* Hexadecimal and binary operations and conversions
* Function definition and evaluation with the same variable, and function
compositions. (Circular     Definition Error issue)
* BldData command to make graphical data available as a data variable
(multiple lists) for statistical        modeling or further analysis.
isPrime function for finding prime numbers, and improved integer factoring
* Improvements to Polar/Degree mode for complex numbers
* Resizing matrices from the Data/Matrix Editor
* Implicit Plots via the 3D grapher

What is Flash?

Flash is a type of memory technology being used on the TI-92 Plus Module
that allows for:

* Electronic Upgradability - This means that you can *change* the software
capabilities of your TI-92 Plus by downloading new code to your TI-92 Plus,
as it becomes available from the TI web site.
* User Data Archive - This is a storage space for additional functions,
programs and data.  On the TI-92 Plus, this archive is 384K in size.

What does "Electronically Upgradable" mean?
        The TI-92 Plus Module makes your TI-92 Electronically Upgradable.
This means that the module-enhanced TI-92 is capable of accepting new
software versions, thus replacing the old software. Download the latest
software versions from the TI web site to your computer, then send the new
version to your module-enhanced TI-92 via TI-Graph Link.

When will the TI-92 Plus Module be available?
        The TI-92 Plus module is expected to be available 2nd Quarter of 1998.

How much will the TI-92 Plus Module cost?
        The TI-92 Plus module is expected to cost approximately $80 in the U.S.

Are there any Engineering applications for the TI-92 Plus platform?
        We have entered into discussions with da Vinci Technologies Group,
Inc. to explore the possible development of selected da Vinci products for
delivery in the TI-92 Plus environment. The products under consideration
are designed to support the engineering and scientific disciplines at the
university level.

What types of Systems of Equations can be solved with Advanced Mathematics
Software?
        solve(...) and cSolve(...) return real or complex solutions of
linear or nonlinear systems of equations. For linear or polynomial systems,
they use the Gaussian or Groebner elimination method to seek all solutions.
Otherwise, they use a damped-Newton/steepest-descent method to seek an
approximate solution close to the user's guess, which defaults to 0.0 for
each component.

What types of 1st- and 2nd-order ODE's will Advanced Mathematics Software
solve symbolically?
        1st Order: separable, linear, Bernoulli, y'=f(a*x+b*y), exact,
integrating factor independent of x, integrating factor independent of y,
and homogeneous.

        2nd Order: linear constant coefficient (and a few variable
coefficient), missing y, missing y', missing x, missing both y' and x.

What CANNOT be shared between the TI-92 and the Advanced Mathematics
Software of the TI-92 Plus Module?
        In general, any new functionality from the Advanced Mathematics
Software will NOT run on an original TI-92. If original TI-92-specific
files are created on the TI-92 Plus and sent to a TI-92, they should run in
many cases (including PIC files, text files, strings and Geometry Figures
and Macros). Exceptions could be user-defined programs (especially symbolic
programs) and functions, GDB's (graph databases), sysdata, and other system
variables, and data variable datatypes. Also, lists, matrices and data
variables that are strictly numeric data should transfer between platforms.

Will the TI-92 Plus be allowed on College Board tests (SAT, ACT)?
        The TI-92 Plus adds functionality to the TI-92 platform. Since the
original TI-92 is currently not allowed on standardized tests, we suspect
the TI-92 Plus Module-enhanced TI-92 with not be allowed either.

Are the TI-92 and TI-92 Plus compatible?
        Most original TI-92-specific functionality will transfer back and
forth between the TI-92 and TI-92 Plus. Advanced Mathematics
Software-specific functionality and some datatypes from the TI-92 Plus
Module will not run when sent to the original TI-92; however, many
functions, programs and data sets can be shared between platforms.

Are there any support materials or workbooks for the Advanced Mathematics
Software of the TI-92 Plus Module?
        A book for pre-calculus and calculus courses focusing on the
scripting capabilities of the TI-92 and module-enhanced TI-92 is expected
to be available in Spring 1998.

What are the appropriate courses for the TI-92 Plus?
        The Advanced Mathematics Software of the TI-92 Plus makes it a
useful tool for Calculus I - Calculus III, Linear/Matrix Algebra, and
Differential Equations. Of course, the TI-92 Plus can also be used for
Algebra, Geometry, and High School math courses, due to the existing TI-92
functionality.

How much will software upgrades cost?
        The upgradability of the TI-92 Plus Module will allow users to stay
up-to-date with the latest software versions available on the TI web site
for free. Future software applications that could provide new functionality
to the calculator would be available for sale from the TI web site, and
would vary in price depending on the application provided.

Are there currently any software upgrades available for the TI-92 Plus Module?
        No software upgrades are currently available. TI is doing research
to understand what software applications and functionality are needed by
our customers for the TI-92 platform.

Will it work with the TI-Graph Link?
        Yes. The TI-92 Plus (a TI-92 Plus Module-enhanced TI-92) will work
with the same Graph Link cable. Due to the upgradability and enhanced
software features of the TI-92 Plus, it will require new Graph Link
software to address the new functionality.

Will the TI-92 Plus use the same ViewScreen?
        Yes. The TI-92 ViewScreen will work with a module-enhanced TI-92.

Is the TI-92 Plus compatible with the CBL/CBR?
        Yes. You may encounter some cases where a TI-92 CBL/CBR program
needs to be slightly modified.

Where do I buy the TI-92 Plus Module?
        The TI-92 Plus Module will be available through TI Instructional
Products Dealers. It will also be available through TI direct sales at
800-TI-CARES (800-842-2737) and on the web.

Can I buy the TI-92 Plus Module already installed in a TI-92?
        No, the TI-92 Plus Module is only sold separately.

Does the TI-92 Plus do everything that the TI-92 does?
        The TI-92 Plus Module has all of the functionality of the TI-92.
This similarity allows the different TI-92 platforms to work side-by-side
in the classroom.

What are the main differences between the TI-92 and TI-92 Plus?
        The TI-92 Plus has Advanced Mathematics Software, additional
memory, and upgradability.
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