Should i Buy a Graphical Calculator?!

Hello,

Should i Buy a Graphical Calculator? I take alevel maths and have been told it's useful, what does it even do, and is it worth buying?

:smile:

Reply 1

BWV1007

No. I have not encountered a situation where a graphical calculator could have been useful...

Reply 2

Flauta

No point. Even if you're taking statistics modules the basic stuff can be done on a standard scientific casio.

Reply 3

username1042883

It basically plots out graphs. It could be useful, but (unless you're doing Edexcel and have to take your calculator with you into the exam) I would suggest a calculator that does differentiation and integration, they're much more useful :cool:

Reply 4

alow

The only ones that are actually useful are CAS calculators, but they're banned in exams, for good reason.

Reply 5

Bloxorus

I have one and I'm doing A2 maths and further maths. I found it really useful at AS and would recommend getting one.
It basically just allows you to check your answers for nearly all the questions in the statistics modules. It can help for core as well as it will solve quadratic and sketch graphs for you.

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Reply 6

50ShadesOfRay

Original post by charlesn202

Whats wrong with edexcel?

Reply 7

username1042883

Original post by 50ShadesOfRay

Whats wrong with edexcel?

They don't allow differentiating calculators in their exams :frown:

Reply 8

m4ths/maths247

No.
I have had just about every graphical calc going over the last 4-5 years and don't use any of them.
No exam question needs one.
You can use desmos and wolfram for free at home or at school.
As standard calculators I don't like them either.
I really dislike seeing my pupils use them to do basic things too. Most sketches at AS/A2 maths are fairly straightforward.

Reply 9

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Original post by m4ths/maths247

This.

Reply 10

alow

Original post by charlesn202

They don't allow differentiating calculators in their exams :frown:

Neither does any other board. You can get ones that aren't CAS but they're pointless and overpriced.

Cheers guys!!

No point for just regular maths. They come in handy if you do further, though.

A2 might be useful

They're not essential, of course, but they can be very handy. Speeds up some graph sketching (pretty pointless questions in my opinion), and great for checking the longer number-crunchy questions in stats, which are very easy to mess up.

Reply 15

username1042883

Original post by alow

Neither does any other board. You can get ones that aren't CAS but they're pointless and overpriced.

Hang on, I've just searched up which calculators are allowed, and many say that symbolic differentiation/integration is not accepted, but numerical differentiation is fine, for example:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/69918-faqs-calculators-in-exams.pdf

Does that mean that numerical integration calculators like this one:
http://www.casio.co.uk/education/products/scientific-calculators/fx-991es-plus/
are allowed? I have that calculator and thought it wasn't allowed but it might actually be fine, hmm...

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 16

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Original post by charlesn202

Yes it's fine. Many candidates use it.

Reply 17

gdunne42

Original post by charlesn202

Yes, the 991es and 991es plus are ok for all uk examiners

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Reply 18

username1042883

Original post by Mr M

Yes it's fine. Many candidates use it.

Original post by gdunne42

Yes, the 991es and 991es plus are ok for all uk examiners

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Ah, cool. I like being able to use them when I'm working to make sure I've got around the right answer when I'm working on definite integration questions, I think it's much more useful than graphical calculators.