Generations of calculator technology
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Generations of calculator technology
James <slimjimmy@USA.NET> writes:
>> The 82 is useful more more algebraic needs than calculus needs. In my
>> school, 82 was suggested for Pre-calculus/Trig/Adv Algebra classes,
>> and the 85 was suggested for Calculus. The Algebra community didn't need
>> the extra stuff that the calculus students did, so they got a cheaper
>> version for their needs.
>
> True, but I guess I am bit naive in this thinking, but I assume a
> significant number of people eventually take calculus, whether at the
> high school or community college or university level or what. So while
> the 85 is more expensive and has features that algebra students might
> not need, wouldn't it be better to just buy the 85 for the long-term?
> (Or nowadays, I guess the 89...)
>
> But I guess enough don't that they're sufficient for a target audience.
> Sigh.
>
> - James
The capabilities of the TI-82 are not simply a subset of the capabilities of
the TI-85. The same story goes about their modern versions, the TI-83 and
TI-86. There are significant differences in design philosophy and user
interface in both cases. They are different tools for different purposes.
As a rough statement, the 82/83 series is more friendly to the teaching of
mathematics and statistics, the 85/86 to engineering calculations.
The TI-82 and 83 fit very well to the teaching of introductory college math
(speaking as a teacher of the same) and carry on well through at least the
first year of calculus. But all of these calculators have been made obsolete
by the TI-92 and, now the TI-89. They are yesterday's way of doing business.
Oh, they won't disappear for quite a while yet. If you check around you will
find hordes of people still using old-fashioned "scientific" calculators that
display only a single number in the window, even though the advantage of
seeing what you put in (and being able to recall and edit it) is patent, and
the ability to store numbers in named memories allows you to "work smart" in
many ways. But you have to learn how to do this!
The implications of having symbolic manipulations at your fingertips are
even more dramatic. But again a fair bit of learning is required in order to
make this work for you. The sort of understandings you need to acquire to
properly use a symbolic manipulator are the proper content of mathematics
courses at the high-school and introductory college level. However, much of
the present curriculum is still directed toward learning how to use a pencil
appropriately -- fortunately, techniques for calculating with an abacus have
been dropped except as historical curiosities. As far as widespread
realization and acceptance of the implications of the latest wave of
technology, don't hold your breath. But don't let that stop you from thinking
through the implications on your own!
RWW Taylor
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester NY 14623
>>>> The plural of mongoose begins with p. <<<<