Re: TI-86 Pre-Purchase Questions


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Re: TI-86 Pre-Purchase Questions



Mao Tse-Tung wrote:

> I am purchasing a graphing calculator sometime this summer, and have
> decided to go with the TI-86. However, I am plagued by a little 'note'
>
> in the FAQ at Texas Instruments' web page for said calculator, which
> reads,
> "Will the TI-86 be able to run TI-85 programs?
> Yes, the TI-86 will be able to run TI-85 programs.
> Note: The TI-86 has made one change in the order of operations.
> Therefore, minor editing of a program may be needed on TI-85 programs
> transferred to the TI-86."
> And also gives a VERY curious table. If anyone can tell me what that
> table means, or better yet if anyone can tell me if there's going to
> be
> a major problem for me using the bountiful TI-85 programs and
> information on the internet on my new 86, or would it be enough of a
> problem to force me into buying another model of calculator? (not the
> 92, that's practically the damn computer I'm typing this on, and would
>
> be overkill)
>
> Thanks in advance for any correspondence.

Here's the table I think your looking at:

EXAMPLE                    TI-85 EVALUATION
TI-86 EVALUATION
1/2*A =
1/2*A                                                  1/2*A
1/2A =
1/(2*A)                                                1/2*A

The difference is in the order of operations.  The TI-86 does the order
or operations correctly, the TI-85 has a slight flaw.  This could cause
some TI-85 basic programs to work incorrectly on the TI-86.  This is not
a major problem.  Including paraenthesis in the right spots will fix
this problem.

--
Bryan Rabeler
brabeler@ticalc.org
ICQ UIN # 1229209
WWW Pager - http://wwp.mirabilis.com/1229209
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