Different calculator than reccomended?

[chman]

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I tried asking this on the other calculator thread but I don't think anyone noticed.

Anyways, I am taking calc one next quarter, and my mom, being the sweetheart that she is, got me a graphing calculator for x-mas. It is a Casio fx-9860GII. The problem (potentially) is that it is not the recommended one (the math department recommends the TI-84). I am also used to the TI-84 because I borrowed it from the library for pre-calc for the quarter.

Anyways, I could return this one, but the TI-84 is more money. Am I being a little neurotic here? Will it make any difference?

 

[Hope2008]

I tried asking this on the other calculator thread but I don't think anyone noticed.

Anyways, I am taking calc one next quarter, and my mom, being the sweetheart that she is, got me a graphing calculator for x-mas. It is a Casio fx-9860GII. The problem (potentially) is that it is not the recommended one (the math department recommends the TI-84). I am also used to the TI-84 because I borrowed it from the library for pre-calc for the quarter.

Anyways, I could return this one, but the TI-84 is more money. Am I being a little neurotic here? Will it make any difference?

Is FX-9860GII prohibited or just not recommended?

If it's just not recommended, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

the thing is, the class may be structured so that the intructor will show you some function to perform on the TI, check it out first just to make sure.

 

[apumic]

Can you simply go to the store and trade it out & pay the difference? (assuming you haven't opened it yet...)

 

[chman]

Can you simply go to the store and trade it out & pay the difference? (assuming you haven't opened it yet...)

I opened it to mess around with it on x-mas. I am sure I could still return it though, maybe. Money is kind of tight right now, even if it would only be about a thirty dollar difference. I actually did some reading on it last night and some reviews have it rated higher than the TI-84. I think that TI just has a monopoly going and overcharge.

 

[EulerianCircuit]

I don't know anything about the Casio, or the TI-84 for that matter (TI-89 FTW!), but as long as it does integrals and derivatives symbolically, and has graphing capability it should be fine for Calc I. You will probably have to figure it out on your own though.

 

[CapnCrunch]

I opened it to mess around with it on x-mas. I am sure I could still return it though, maybe. Money is kind of tight right now, even if it would only be about a thirty dollar difference. I actually did some reading on it last night and some reviews have it rated higher than the TI-84. I think that TI just has a monopoly going and overcharge.

If you can handle the Casio and do all the functions required for calculus, then by all means go for it! Often times, people who buy the calculators don't really know the full power of the device and simply use to do occasional math once in a while (e.g. 54 + 33 = ... 87!). If you can solve a single variable equation, plot graphs, determine the derivative at a point, determine the integral with 2 points, can work with lists, and understand where most everything is, you'll be fine!

The only drawback I can see is sometimes math classes might exchange programs (not sure TI -- Casio is compatible but I highly doubt it) for some menial things in calculus, like: Left Sum, Right Sum, Midpoint Sum, Simpsons, and Trapazoidal to estimate the area under a curve. All of which are time consuming and, with a program in seconds. But then again, you might find a compatible program on the internet that does the same thing.

Just my thoughts... Good luck!

 

[CapnCrunch]

Geez Eulerian, that is one beast MCAT score!

 

[eric51]

I used to always use an HP 49G instead of the recommended TI-89. I think as long as you're confident you can figure some commands out on your own by reading a manual, you'll be fine. I don't think you should be using a calculator that much in calc 1 anyway.