Re: TI-83+ or TI-86?

To: CALC-TI@LISTS.PPP.TI.COM
Subject: Re: TI-83+ or TI-86?
From: RWW Taylor <RWTNTS@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU>
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 09:21:46 -0500
Reply-To: RWW Taylor <RWTNTS@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU>

Ted Curtsinger <ted.curtsinger@DRAGONBBS.COM> writes:

> I am  soon going to purchase a TI graphing calculator for use in discrete math
> class in college and calculus later on, but do not know enough about
> differences between calculators.  I have narrowed my decision to get either
> the 83+ or the 86.  Any opinions which is best and why?  Is the 86 updatable
> like the 83+?  If not, is this an important consideration?

For discrete math, perhaps the TI-89 ought to be considered -- the symbolic
manipulation capabilities would go well with the course content. For an extra
$50 or so you get a tremendous amount of additional power. The only potential
drawback is that the instructor in calculus, later, might not allow use of the
TI-89 on tests and in the classroom. This is not guaranteed, though -- an
increasing number of instructors welcome the use by students of symbolic
calculators and are willing to adjust their teaching (this is my attitude,
anyway).

If the symbolic calculator option is not chosen, there is IMO little advantage
the TI-86 would offer over the TI-83+ for discrete math or calculus. And all
three of these calculators are software updatable.

RWW Taylor
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester NY 14623

>>>> The plural of mongoose begins with p. <<<<

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