Best calculator...

[Guest ShaneUWF]

I'm a second semester Electrical/Computer Engineering student at UWF/UF. I'm very familiar (and happy) with my TI-89.

 

However, smoe senior students and instructors say that HP is the way to go in 'real-world' engineering.

 

Is this really the case? If so, which model should I look into?

 

The HP49G appears to be pretty similar to the TI-89, while the HP48GX seems to be more of what I should be looking for.

 

Any opinions?

[fafalone]

For engineering, HP has more specialized calculators. My good friend's dad is an engineer, and he said they use some bizarre notation system in the engineering world that can't be input on the TI's. I'm not sure which model is best, but I doubt its the 49G as that's pretty much the same as a TI89.

[mister_me]

Wow. I have no clue. I'm not good with answering any scientific questions:-( , but send me a private message and I'll tell you the meaning of life.

 

The meaning of life is a messge that everyone needs to hear! Ask me.

[bloodhound]

i have always used a casio fx 992-s . its very reliable. two way power. therefore battries will proabably last longer that you. very simple to use. plenty of power to do stats like regression and corelation. very slim, has a cool sliding cover. and it looks very good with it on. i am holding it rite now and i am still amazed how slim and light it is

[ydoaPs]

i use a TI83+

[budullewraagh]

so do i. it's reliable and good enough

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

However, the TI-89 is more capable.

I'd rather have a TI-84 for the memory capacity.

[Douglas]

For engineering, HP has more specialized calculators. My good friend's dad is an engineer, and he said they use some bizarre notation system in the engineering world that can't be input on the TI's. I'm not sure which model is best, but I doubt its the 49G as that's pretty much the same as a TI89.

I have both the TI and the Hp. I prefer the HP. They use "Reverse polish notation" (RPN) and in my opinion are easier to use and easier to program.

[Sayonara]

i have always used a casio fx 992-s . its very reliable. two way power. therefore battries will proabably last longer that you. very simple to use. plenty of power to do stats like regression and corelation. very slim, has a cool sliding cover. and it looks very good with it on. i am holding it rite now and i am still amazed how slim and light it is

I have one of those that I bought about 12 years ago. I dug it out yesterday and the battery still works. Ace.

 

My TI ought to arrive this weekend.

[YT2095]

I`m all for the KISS principal too (Keep It Simple Stupid).

 

I use a Casio fx-83WA, excellent battery life and sliding cover too (great against splashes in the Lab). it does all I need it to and more, it seems pointless paying for functions you`ll never use or don`t even understand (this calc`s got plenty of those too). and it only cost me £8 from Woolworths 4 years ago

 

it`s S.V.P.A.M too, and has BODMAS built in

 

 

BODMAS: http://www.easymaths.com/What_on_earth_is_Bodmas.htm

 

SVPAM: "Q4.What do the letters S-V.P.A.M. stand for (fx-991MS, fx-570W, fx-350TLG, etc.)?A4.S-V.P.A.M. stands for "Super Visually Perfect Algebraic Method."

With this method, you get the same V.P.A.M. ability to input mathematical expressions as they are written, along with the ability to view expressions and results at the same time. The display of S-V.P.A.M. shows two lines at a time. You can recall an expression with the Replay feature, make any changes that you want, and then recalculate."

 

taken from: http://faq.casio.com/faq/fx/faq_type_b.php?PRODUCT=Standard%20Scientific%20calculators%20(General)&CATEGORY=NON

[AL]

I recently traded my TI-89 which got me through my undergrad studies for a TI-89 Titanium. It's basically the same thing, but with more memory, a GUI, USB support and a bunch of free programs.

 

My numerical analysis professor at UC Berkeley told me TI calculators are a load of crap and that HP is the way to go. But then he also bragged about how some of the top engineers at HP were former students of his, so I think there's a bit of an HP fanboy in him.

 

I have both the TI and the Hp. I prefer the HP. They use "Reverse polish notation" (RPN) and in my opinion are easier to use and easier to program.

A stock TI doesn't support RPN, but you can easily get a small program off the net that will add support. TI has a huge support community, which is one reason I prefer it. I'm not averse to programming my own stuff, but I strongly disbelieve in re-inventing the wheel if there are already wheels out there ready for use.

[Gilded]

I have a TI-83 Plus. I'm not too familiar with it though, since I got it only few days ago. But I guess it's pretty good (and definately good enough for Finnish high school).

[Ophiolite]

I'd vote HP in general because of the RPN (Reverse Polish Notation). The world seems to be full of two kinds of people: those who love RPN and those who hate it. (I guess there's a third, those who neither know nor care). I found it wonderfully intuitive.

If you are leaning to HP make sure you try one out first to be sure you are comfortable with it.

I say 'found' because several years ago I stopped using calculators when I spotted myself using one to subtract 7 from 22. Now if I can't figure it in my head then it's spreadsheet time.