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How useful is it having a graphical calculator for A Level maths (c3.c4. etc)

i was wondering whether it was worth getting one? im struggling to learn the graphs rn, like the cos,cot and sec stuff. my friend has one and he says its ten times more useful when you're doing maths questions? is that the case? is it worth getting one? i need the highest grades possible. please someone, tell me.
In my school it's a requirement to have a graphical calculator for a level maths and you use them almost every lesson
Original post by ZiggyStardust_
i was wondering whether it was worth getting one? im struggling to learn the graphs rn, like the cos,cot and sec stuff. my friend has one and he says its ten times more useful when you're doing maths questions? is that the case? is it worth getting one? i need the highest grades possible. please someone, tell me.


about as useful as using your hand to wipe after a big dootie in the toilet.

They're a waste of time if you really want to know what they look like use wolfram alpha or consult your textbook.
They're really of minimal help since you aren't allowed those calculators in the exam anyway. No point.

It's only a few graphs anyway compared to multiple other techniques and other methods you need to know for the rest of the course
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Avatar for Pangol
Pangol
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Original post by will'o'wisp2
They're a waste of time if you really want to know what they look like use wolfram alpha or consult your textbook.
They're really of minimal help since you aren't allowed those calculators in the exam anyway. No point.


I agree that there is no need for a graphical calculator, and I don't recommend them in my lessons. I worry that they stop people thinking about things - it is always possible to do any A level sketches without them.

However, it is not true to say that they are not allowed in exams. Most are. It is only the really high spec calculators that can do symbolic algebra and symbolic calculus that are not allowed.
You can still get a top grade without them for sure, I don't think they're too useful, especially if they're not allowed in exams as said above

I would recommend the calculator that can do integration, differentiation and matrices as they can help you check your answer in the exam and they're generally allowed!
I think the Casio fx-991 is all you need. If you're really stuck with a graph sketching problem you can always use the table function to easily get some points.
Original post by Pangol
I agree that there is no need for a graphical calculator, and I don't recommend them in my lessons. I worry that they stop people thinking about things - it is always possible to do any A level sketches without them.

However, it is not true to say that they are not allowed in exams. Most are. It is only the really high spec calculators that can do symbolic algebra and symbolic calculus that are not allowed.


Oh? I thought they weren't allowed. I mean it depends on the board really.
There is no list of calculators which can be used, though it can probably be assumed that any calculator that is not on the list above is permissible. This includes graphical calculators, those which can perform numerical differentiation and integration, manipulate matrices, change bases, and so on.

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/mathematics-2017.news.html?article=%2Fcontent%2Fdemo%2Fen%2Fnews-policy%2Fsubject-updates%2Fmathematics%2Fuse-of-calculators-in-the-summer-2016-exam-series&pageTypes=
Original post by AstroNandos
You can still get a top grade without them for sure, I don't think they're too useful, especially if they're not allowed in exams as said above

I would recommend the calculator that can do integration, differentiation and matrices as they can help you check your answer in the exam and they're generally allowed!


Thank you very much! I'll see about getting a calculator to do integration. The integration exam q's are pretty tough after all lmao
What is the best and most useful calculator which is allowed in an exam?
Original post by will'o'wisp2
about as useful as using your hand to wipe after a big dootie in the toilet.

They're a waste of time if you really want to know what they look like use wolfram alpha or consult your textbook.
They're really of minimal help since you aren't allowed those calculators in the exam anyway. No point.

It's only a few graphs anyway compared to multiple other techniques and other methods you need to know for the rest of the course


LMFAO. thank you for such a profound answer.

well i know my board (OCR) do allow graphical calculators since a bunch of people in my class used them in exams.

hm, that's true, but what im thinking is graphical calculators save time during the exam. i need as much time as possible to answer all the q'.s
Original post by Plagioclase
I think the Casio fx-991 is all you need. If you're really stuck with a graph sketching problem you can always use the table function to easily get some points.


thank you!

does the table function work for sin,cos,cosec and cot graphs too?
Original post by ZiggyStardust_
thank you!

does the table function work for sin,cos,cosec and cot graphs too?


Yes. You enter any f(x) and then enter a set of x values (e.g. 0 to 50 spaced by 5) and it returns all of the f(x) values.
Original post by Plagioclase
Yes. You enter any f(x) and then enter a set of x values (e.g. 0 to 50 spaced by 5) and it returns all of the f(x) values.


oh my god this is a life saver

a grade saver

you're a living legend mate, thank you so much <3 <3
Just use a table of values on your calculator and plot the points
Original post by will'o'wisp2
about as useful as using your hand to wipe after a big dootie in the toilet.

They're a waste of time if you really want to know what they look like use wolfram alpha or consult your textbook.
They're really of minimal help since you aren't allowed those calculators in the exam anyway. No point.

It's only a few graphs anyway compared to multiple other techniques and other methods you need to know for the rest of the course

Please don't post misleading comments. You clearly don't know what you're talking about. Graphical calculators are extremely handy when it comes to checking if your graphs are correct, plus it's also more powerful compared to scientific calculators.
And graphical calculators *are* allowed in exams as long as it doesn't have symbolic algebraic manipulation, integration, differentiaition, etc.
Original post by Pangol
I agree that there is no need for a graphical calculator, and I don't recommend them in my lessons. I worry that they stop people thinking about things - it is always possible to do any A level sketches without them.

However, it is not true to say that they are not allowed in exams. Most are. It is only the really high spec calculators that can do symbolic algebra and symbolic calculus that are not allowed.

"I agree that there is no need for a graphical calculator, and I don't recommend them in my lessons. I worry that they stop people thinking about things - it is always possible to do any A level sketches without them" - Yes, but it's extremely useful for students who sketch graphs just using their knowledge, and then use graphical calculators to check if they've done it correctly. But it's of no help for students who are reliant on graphical calculators to do the graphs for them.
im kinda confused ... can i use the casio fx-CG50? i do edexcel btw
Original post by honeybooooo
im kinda confused ... can i use the casio fx-CG50? i do edexcel btw


Yes,

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