best calculator out there?

i swear last year I came across one on amazon that could sketch graphs and factorise and all that for like £50. also do you think it'd be allowed in the a level maths exam - I mean a really advanced one.

Reply 1

username2896864

15

Yes, graphical calculators are allowed in a level maths exams and I use casio

Reply 2

Doones

21

Original post by Bertybassett

i swear last year I came across one on amazon that could sketch graphs and factorise and all that for like £50. also do you think it'd be allowed in the a level maths exam - I mean a really advanced one.

yes graphing calculators are fine.

Reply 3

gdunne42

21

Original post by Bertybassett

i swear last year I came across one on amazon that could sketch graphs and factorise and all that for like £50. also do you think it'd be allowed in the a level maths exam - I mean a really advanced one.

If you are buying a calculator for the new specification A level maths then I advise you check with your maths department which one they want you to have.
If they have no preference then make sure you choose one that has all of the capabilities you will need.
Most graphical calculators are fine and the most recent scientific calculators e.g. Casio
991EX ClassWiz have all of the capabilities you need.
Really useful advice on OCR site:
http://ocr.org.uk/qualifications/by-subject/mathematics/maths-news/the-truth-about-calculators-for-maths-a-levels/

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

Tubbz

20

A calculator is only as good as the person operating it.

When I was doing my A-Levels, TI were head and shoulders above everyone else, now the casio graphical calculators are pretty much on a par.

Reply 5

Paulington

11

I use a Texas TI-NSpire CAS which I was allowed to use in my exams. Can't recommend it enough even though it is expensive. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-Instruments-Graphic-Calculator-Touchpad/dp/B0058BJIA4

Reply 6

gdunne42

21

Original post by Paulington

I use a Texas TI-NSpire CAS which I was allowed to use in my exams. Can't recommend it enough even though it is expensive. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-Instruments-Graphic-Calculator-Touchpad/dp/B0058BJIA4

As I understand the regulations you are not allowed to use that in UK A level exams.

Reply 7

Doones

21

Original post by Paulington

I use a Texas TI-NSpire CAS which I was allowed to use in my exams. Can't recommend it enough even though it is expensive. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-Instruments-Graphic-Calculator-Touchpad/dp/B0058BJIA4

Original post by gdunne42

As I understand the regulations you are not allowed to use that in UK A level exams.

Yep it has 'Computer Algebraic Software' which isn't permitted in A-levels, or at most universities for that matter.

Reply 8

Paulington

11

Ah news to me! Sorry for misleading info, I used it in my A Levels so maybe it just wasn't picked up. :smile:

.

Reply 9

gdunne42

21

Original post by Paulington

Ah news to me! Sorry for misleading info, I used it in my A Levels so maybe it just wasn't picked up. :smile:

.

Always good to remind people that some calculator models are not allowed in uk exams. A few people have said before that their invigilation staff couldn't recognise a prohibited calculator but having one could lead to disqualification so lucky you it was never spotted.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

Paulington

11

Original post by gdunne42

Always good to remind people that some calculator models are not allowed in uk exams. A few people have said before that their invigilation staff couldn't recognise a prohibited calculator but having one could lead to disqualification so lucky you it was never spotted.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Yeah for sure! The CAS is useful but I'd never use it in exams of course, I just use it for the graph/table function and the obvious.

For my A Levels our calculators and such weren't inspected at all, you just had the transparent pencilcase, bottle of water and calculator on the table. It will be different elsewhere of course though. :smile:

.

I used a slide rule.

Original post by Tootles

I used a slide rule.

I never got the hang of those, but I did use log tables :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 13

Ace2233

7

In our school you need to go to the head of maths and he basically labels your calculator with an approved sticker. I recommend you the casio fx-9860gii which is allowed in the exams. If you're planning to do further maths it can come in handy since it can sketch various types of graphs(polar,hyperbolic,parametric) however if you're doing only maths, I don't think it's worth it.

Reply 14

Dysf(x)al

20

Original post by Bertybassett

i swear last year I came across one on amazon that could sketch graphs and factorise and all that for like £50. also do you think it'd be allowed in the a level maths exam - I mean a really advanced one.

As long as it doesn't have symbolic calculus and algebra manipulation, you're fine. So if it will differentiate common functions, that's a no (don't know about factorising though). If however it can only find the gradient at a point you specify (like my one), that's fine.

I use a Casio fx-991 ES PLUS. It does everything I need it to do and lots more.

best calculator out there?

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