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Ask HN: What High School Math Calculator

2 points by jmspring ↗ HN
My girlfriend's daughter has been doing home schooling for her 7th grade year and will likely continue into her 8th grade year due to Covid. She has been working with a couple of online math courses and getting into the Trig, Pre/Algebra, and related levels.

At this level, a calculator starts becoming necessary/useful. I've been using HP and RPN calculators for decades (even in high school) but know that's not the waay of these modern times.

I seem to recall TI (maybe the TI 84) is basically the recommendation of choice.

If buying a teen/tween a calculator to last through the rest of their grad school years, what would be the best option?

10 comments

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poormystic
HP calculators work just fine. I use a 48gx I downloaded from play store. It's the best calculator that's ever been designed.
manuelhernandez
Color screen calculators:

  -Casio FX-CG50
  -TI Nspire CX II
  -Numworks
  -Ti 84 plus CE
  -HP Prime
Monochrome calculators:

  -Ti-84
  -Casio FX-9860giii
sloaken
Be sure to check what is allowed for the ACT and SAT. They can bring them, but there are restrictions. Would hate to be comfortable with one, just to need to change for a test.
nextos
I completely aced the national math exam to enter university. Bringing a vintage HP-15C was one of the key reasons. They forbade alphanumeric and graphing calculators to avoid students storing text or plotting functions.

But they didn't know that non-alphanumeric / graphing calculators can still implement sophisticated numerical methods. And in case the calculator doesn't have whatever you need, it can always be programmed.

I used these algorithms to verify huge linear algebra and calculus problem solutions. Plus, learning RPN makes calculating a pleasure and can motivate the student to understand other CS concepts. The 15C or the 42S are great choices.

gnatman
Can you (or anyone) comment further on these sophisticated numerical methods? I'm curious to hear an example, and how RPN factors in.
nextos
Well, you need to see this from a high school point of view! That is, they are not sophisticated at all given how limited that 80's-era hardware is.

Just simple iterative methods to solve linear systems or to calculate integrals and derivatives.

But obviously, compared to what you can do by pen and paper, you can brute force your way through any problem.

CadellFastro
TI 84+. You really don't need a pocket computer. Plus, the TI 84+ is an absolute machine and can do way more than people use it for.