The Student Room Group

Best Graphics calculator to buy?

Hi, I apologise if this is in the wrong place - I'm new to TSR!

I've finished Year 11 and so I am going into Year 12, I am taking A level maths and we have been told to get a graphics calculator.

I've done some research but as I have never done a level maths before I'm really stuck on what to get.

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you! :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Original post by lozza_X
Hi, I apologise if this is in the wrong place - I'm new to TSR!

I've finished Year 11 and so I am going into Year 12, I am taking A level maths and we have been told to get a graphics calculator.

I've done some research but as I have never done a level maths before I'm really stuck on what to get.

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you! :smile:


Are you doing Further Maths? If not, then a graphing calculator is pointless and you should just get Casio fx991ES PLUS or Casio fx-991EX.
Reply 2
Original post by RDKGames
Are you doing Further Maths? If not, then a graphing calculator is pointless and you should just get Casio fx991ES PLUS or Casio fx-991EX.


Even with further maths a graphical calculator is not needed.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by RDKGames
Are you doing Further Maths? If not, then a graphing calculator is pointless and you should just get Casio fx991ES PLUS or Casio fx-991EX.


No, not Further Maths. I already have a scientific calculator. We were told to get a graphics calculator so that's what I'm doing :smile:
Original post by B_9710
Even with further maths a graphical calculator is not needed.


Subjective matter but it is certainly more applicable in FM than in Maths.
Reply 5
Don't bother. Waste of time and money.
Reply 6
Original post by RDKGames
Subjective matter but it is certainly more applicable in FM than in Maths.


Fair enough if you don't think I need it - I have no clue, just doing what I've been told to by the school. I appreciate your advice though. :smile:

Still stuck on what to get...
Reply 7
Original post by alow
Don't bother. Waste of time and money.


I am bothering....have been told to get one so am doing so.
Reply 8
Most people agree that the casio fx-991es plus is a good buy.
My stats professor told me to get a TI-83 or TI-84. They're pretty expensive but according to him they're the best and easiest to use. :dontknow:



Heh, I just checked and the TI-84 is more expensive in pounds on Amazon UK than it is in dollars on Amazon USA. :mmm:
(edited 7 years ago)
If you absolutely have to get one then I'd get the cheapest one possible that looks reasonable because as the others have said, all you need is the fx-991ES.
Original post by lozza_X
I am bothering....have been told to get one so am doing so.


If others and I got by Maths + FM without one, I'm sure you can too. It's literally not a big deal so I wouldn't bother. It's not like you're gonna do bad without one.
Reply 12
Thank you for your help - I will be getting one, even if its useless - I can always resell it. :smile:

Isn't the fx-911plus just a scientific calculator though?

I'm getting it off ebay and was looking at the casio fx-9750GII as currently there is one on auction for £20. Is this any good? I've heard it doesn't have natural display. I was looking at the casio fx-9860GII but that's obviously more expensive.
Original post by lozza_X
Isn't the fx-911plus just a scientific calculator though?


Yes but it does pretty much everything you need to be able to do at A Level (and beyond, for most purposes). For instance, it does numeric intergration and differentiation, can do series and can solve polynomial equations (and it's allowed in exams).
Original post by lozza_X
Hi, I apologise if this is in the wrong place - I'm new to TSR!

I've finished Year 11 and so I am going into Year 12, I am taking A level maths and we have been told to get a graphics calculator.

I've done some research but as I have never done a level maths before I'm really stuck on what to get.

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you! :smile:


I used a TI-82 for my AS maths and I have to say it's worth it to check your answers

For example in C2 you have to integrates it's boundaries and you have to show your working out and stuff so if you make a mistake you wouldn't realise. However with a graphics calculator you will know if your answer doesn't match the answer on calculator. It's the same for stats and on C1 you aren't allowed.

My maths teacher said that a graphical calculator will come in handy mainly for year 13

Also you are allowed to take 2 calculators to the exam so having both a graphical and a scientific helps.

Personally I used the TI-82 because I already had it laying down as my sister used it. But personally I don't like Texas so I'd go for a Casio maybe.

Btw the best thing to do is ask your teacher which one is the recomended
Original post by Plagioclase
Yes but it does pretty much everything you need to be able to do at A Level (and beyond, for most purposes). For instance, it does numeric intergration and differentiation, can do series and can solve polynomial equations (and it's allowed in exams).


The TI-84 Plus is also allowed in exams and has the ability to sketch curves, which is useful if you forget the graphs of more obscure functions like arctan. It also makes it much easier to sketch polar curves in FP2 or FP3 (depending on which exam board you will be doing).
Reply 16
Original post by asinghj
I used a TI-82 for my AS maths and I have to say it's worth it to check your answers

For example in C2 you have to integrates it's boundaries and you have to show your working out and stuff so if you make a mistake you wouldn't realise. However with a graphics calculator you will know if your answer doesn't match the answer on calculator. It's the same for stats and on C1 you aren't allowed.

My maths teacher said that a graphical calculator will come in handy mainly for year 13

Also you are allowed to take 2 calculators to the exam so having both a graphical and a scientific helps.

Personally I used the TI-82 because I already had it laying down as my sister used it. But personally I don't like Texas so I'd go for a Casio maybe.

Btw the best thing to do is ask your teacher which one is the recomended


Thank you. I appreciate your help! I am definitely looking at Casio as that's what our teacher showed us on our taster days. She didn't give us a model number though.

It's probably between the fx-9750 or the fx-9860.
TI 83 good

If you're doing S2 I highly recommend one, also useful in C3 graphs and Fp2 polar graphs
Reply 18
Thank you for all your advice! I've just won the casio fx-9750 for £20 on ebay so I don't think I've done to bad. :smile:
Original post by lozza_X
Thank you. I appreciate your help! I am definitely looking at Casio as that's what our teacher showed us on our taster days. She didn't give us a model number though.

It's probably between the fx-9750 or the fx-9860.


A few friends used Casio fx9750 and I knew 1 guy used the fx9860 so both should do the trick and they looked a lot easier to use
The fx9860 has light which may be good if you want to use the calculator in the dark (it's really pointless imo)

Do yeah you can't really go wrong there and all the best

Quick Reply

Latest