A big and sometimes financial question comes when it comes to choosing a Graphing Calculator.
When you go to the Stores that sell them you might have a few to choose from. In general you only have the following Brands to choose from:
- Texas Instrument
- Casio
- HP
In General and in most cases all the teachers will know how to use the "Texas Instrument" Calculators. Specifically the TI-83 or the TI-89. You will never hear a teacher not tell you to get the other brands but they will tell you that personally they do not know how to use it. I know that Casio and HP have some amazing graphing calculators.
For Example the Casio Prizm Color Graphing Calculator is an amazing calculator that has a very vivid image and is a pleasure to graph with. There is just one problem with this calculator. That one problem is that you or your teacher or friends don't know how to use it and will probably never be able to fully master it.
Then you say to me " listen i'm pretty smart , probably smarter then you, i'll master that baby"
Well then the only thing you did not prove is that you are smart. You have to think about the big picture. Remember this the fact is that the TI-83 and TI-89 are the two most popular graphing calculators in the world. What does this mean?
- You teacher has one
- your friends have one
- you school has them
- games have been made from them
- when you need to exchange information with a friend, if you don't have the same calculator you won't be able to
- if you wan to share programs you wrote you won't be able to
- etc
Thus if you are going to get a Graphing Calculator stick with texas instruments
Then your next question should be well why then only the TI-83 or the TI-89?
well for some of the same reasons as mentioned above but also for a few others.
Lets see what exists in the TI domain
 | | |
| |
| TI-Nspire™ CX Handheld |
| The TI-Nspire CX graphing calculator handheld is in full-color with a backlit LCD display. View images from an online gallery and your own photos to see how math and science apply to the real world. |
|
|
|  |
|  | | |
| |
| TI-Nspire™ CX CAS Handheld |
| The TI-Nspire CX CAS graphing calculator handheld is in full-color with a backlit LCD display. View images from an online gallery and your own photos to see how math and science apply to the real world. |
|
|
|
|  | | |
| |
| TI-Nspire™ with Touchpad |
| TI-Nspire with Touchpad goes beyond traditional graphing calculators to help students explore math and science in new ways. |
|
|
| |
|  | | |
| |
| TI-Nspire™ CAS with Touchpad |
| Every student learns differently: Some quickly understand equations, other tables, some others graphics. TI-Nspire™ CAS Math and Science Learning Technology responds to each individual learning behavior and need. |
|
|
|
|  | | |
| |
| TI-Nspire™ with Clickpad |
| TI-Nspire™ Math and Science Learning Technology helps students see math and science in new ways. |
|
|
| |
|
|  | | |
| |
| TI-84 Plus Silver Edition |
| MathPrint™ feature displays math exactly as it appears in textbooks. More than 20 pre-loaded Apps included. Customize with color faceplates. |
|
|
| |
|  | | |
| |
| TI-84 Plus |
| The TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator offers a built-in USB port, 3x the memory of the TI-83 Plus, many preloaded Apps, an improved display, and more! |
|
|
|
|  | | |
| |
| TI-89 Titanium |
| Perfect graphing calculator for advanced mathematics, physics, engineering and statistics. |
|
|
| |
|  | | |
| |
| Voyage™ 200 |
| Must-have for Calculus, College Math and Engineering. |
|
|
|
|  | | |
| |
| TI-83 Plus |
| An easy-to-use graphing calculator for math and science. |
|
|
| |
|
