Should I keep my graphing calculator??

[sunfest]

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hey all!

I just bought a TI-83 Plus graphing calculator for my physics class, but to save money I'm considering returning it and buying a used one online. My question is: How many classes allow you to use a graphing calculator, and are you allowed to use one on the mcats? I did a quick google search and found something saying that NO calculators are allowed on the mcats--is this true?

I'm just hesitant to spend a lot of money on a graphing calculator if I'm not going to be using it after this class is over. Any comments, suggestions?

Maybe next time I'll think up a more exciting topic!

sunfest girl 🙂

 

[DW]

no calculator on the MCAT. as a matter of fact, training yourself to not be "calculator dependent" might be a good idea before the test rolls around

 

[uffda]

many classes also either disallow calculators on exams, or require that they be non-programmable types. but the graphing calculators are fine for homework in calculus and physics.

 

[oldman]

i was an engineer for ugrad, my puny ti-86 didn't have enough functions for me. i had to use mathematica and matlab to really crunch things!

 

[BACMEDIC]

If calculators are not allowed, then how do you do logs? I'm a calculator junkie, and without one I can only count to 21.

Can I assume that there are no heavy math problems? I would have thought the questions dealing with general chem and physics would require a calcultor.

Does the test only have nice round numbers to deal with?

 

[LoveDoc]

If calculators are not allowed, then how do you do logs? I'm a calculator junkie, and without one I can only count to 21.
Can I assume that there are no heavy math problems? I would have thought the questions dealing with general chem and physics would require a calcultor. Does the test only have nice round numbers to deal with?

You will need to know the logs of 0,1...(ie the simple ones).

The Princeton Review has a pamphlet called MCAT Math. Try to get your hands on it. It teaches you the limitations of what you can expect on the MCAT.

The purpose of the MCAT is not to test you on trig, geom, calculus, etc. Only math related to science. If you need to find sin 30, 60,....you need to know it. Only the basic angles are expected to be memorized.

Here's what I remember:

Gchem - you will need to know only simple numbers for calcuating mass, etc. Know logs for finding G and K, problems w/ acids, bases....(#2 math kicker)

OChem - barely no math at all. Just know how to count. (ie stereocenters, IR readings, NMR.....on and on)

Bio - know how to read graphs. May be some trivial number comparisons.... Oh and know how to calculate probabilities for genetic mutations, etc.

Physics - of course this is the #1 math kicker. Know sin,cos of 30,45,60,90. Anything else will be given. I can't begin to describe the math you need to know so try to get the pamphlet listed above. Know your logs for finding sound intensity.

No, the test does not use nice round numbers but the answers are far apart so you can pretty much gather the answer w/o a calc. Just keep up with your zero's (place holders) and your units.

Hope this helps.

 

[pocwana]

Originally posted by sunfest
Should I keep my graphing calculator??

absolutely!

-- (former) math major and (huge) TI fan.

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

I have ti-89 and absolutely like. I do not do math that exceded what my calculator can do. MCAT math is something that you should be able to handle in your head. I did not have a lot of problem with math part of it.