A-Level Maths Calculator

OP

Original post by bookloverlolly

We were recommended to buy the Casio Fx-911EX Classwiz calculator by our department. However, it's about £25...

The one I've got is very similar to that one, maybe I'll be alright with what I've currently got

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-Fx-991ex-Scientific-Calculator-991/dp/B011UK5DGY

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

OP

Original post by PythagorasGhost

My college used the fx-9750GII - would recommend. The fx-991 ES Plus is also good to have in addition; it's not a graphical calculator but does various A Level-related things (e.g. definite integrals).

The fx-9750GII looks pretty reasonably priced, will take that into consideration

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-FX9750GII-Graphics-Calculator-FX-9750GII/dp/B0023UYQTG/

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by TheTree0fDeath

99% sure you're not gonna be allowed a texas instruments graphic calculator in your exam so dont waste your money. the exam boards are actually surprisingly strict about what calculators are and arent allowed. you can check this however as it may have changed with the new specification

if you want to upgrade to a smarter regular calculator thats cool although maybe wait a few weeks and when you see what sort of functions you really need and have had a chance to see what calculator everyone else is using

I've read that about TI as well. They seem incredibly expensive for a graphical calculator.. the only extra feature seems to be being able to put a background on my graphs lol

Reply 7

MR1999

Original post by felixmosson

I'm starting the new A-Level maths spec soon and I was wondering about getting a new calculator. I currently have a Casio Fx-570EX ClassWiz and was thinking about upgrading to a graphic calculator. Any suggestions? I was looking at Texas Instruments ones as my old school used TI-Nspire for the IB course. It's around £150 for this calculator (which is very expensive) so is it even worth the investment? I'm planning on doing medicine in the future so would it be useful for that?

If you're going to but a TI, make sure the make is not higher than TI-84. This is because the newer models aren't suitable for exams as they can perform symbolic algebraic manipulation and/or symbolic calculus.

Not sure about IB, but any calculators which can do the above are prohibited by JQC rules, but since your school used TI-Inspire, these rules may not apply to IB. You should double check before getting one though, just to be safe.

Reply 8

KoDang

4

Original post by bookloverlolly

We were recommended to buy the Casio Fx-911EX Classwiz calculator by our department. However, it's about £25...

Yes definitely would recommend this calculator

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-Fx-991ex-Scientific-Calculator-991/dp/B011UK5DGY

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 9

Original post by bookloverlolly

We were recommended to buy the Casio Fx-911EX Classwiz calculator by our department. However, it's about £25...

This is the calculator you will want to have. Exam boards have agreed this is the most suitable and most people in your class will most likely have this one as it's definitely one of the cheapest suitable options

Reply 10

math42

20

Original post by felixmosson

I'm starting the new A-Level maths spec soon and I was wondering about getting a new calculator. I currently have a Casio Fx-570EX ClassWiz and was thinking about upgrading to a graphic calculator. Any suggestions? I was looking at Texas Instruments ones as my old school used TI-Nspire for the IB course. It's around £150 for this calculator (which is very expensive) so is it even worth the investment? I'm planning on doing medicine in the future so would it be useful for that?

I read that as £1500 at first haha, now that'd be some calculator. But even £150 seems a bit much to me tbh. I got through A-level with a £15 basic scientific thing, and never found not having graphics or calculus capabilities to be a particular hindrance.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by Lemur14

This is the calculator you will want to have. Exam boards have agreed this is the most suitable and most people in your class will most likely have this one as it's definitely one of the cheapest suitable options

The 570EX's only difference to the 911EX is its power supply. The 911EX had a solar panel and the 570 is powered by batteries. Looks like I'll just be remaining with my current one. Would anyone be able to tell me the difference between a scientific and graphic calculator?

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 12

Original post by felixmosson

The 570EX's only difference to the 911EX is its power supply. The 911EX had a solar panel and the 570 is powered by batteries. Looks like I'll just be remaining with my current one. Would anyone be able to tell me the difference between a scientific and graphic calculator?

Sticking with your current one sounds sensible then :smile:

I'm gonna take a punt and say that a graphical calculator allows you to do things like plot graphs while the scientific calculator will give you the coordinates for you to plot yourself.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 13

username2424985

17

Original post by felixmosson

I'm starting the new A-Level maths spec soon and I was wondering about getting a new calculator. I currently have a Casio Fx-570EX ClassWiz and was thinking about upgrading to a graphic calculator. Any suggestions? I was looking at Texas Instruments ones as my old school used TI-Nspire for the IB course. It's around £150 for this calculator (which is very expensive) so is it even worth the investment? I'm planning on doing medicine in the future so would it be useful for that?

I went from the standard cheapo grey Casio, to the silver/purple one, to your one just with solar panels, then right up to an FX9860GII. I'll be honest - buying the FX9860GII, a graphical calculator, was the best decision of my life. Not even for the graphing, which I didn't use - the matrix manipulation, statistics modes, calculation history, so many of this calculator's features were the reason I managed to finish papers to a high A/A* standard on time (Edexcel, that is - not sure how that relates to IB) - without it I'd be lost. I STRONGLY recommend getting this one over the FX9750 - the 9750 has older software without a nice textbook display, and I've heard updating the software yourself could make the calculator exam-illegal. Both the 9750 and the 9860 are exam legal by default, I'm fairly certain (I deleted all the bundled "apps" off of my 9860 just to be sure :P), and in my school my maths teacher just checked it was clear at the beginning of each exam (she knew what the calculator could do, but she was also confident it was fine) - no invigilator ever questioned me about it.

Here's the Amazon page- it's dropped in price quite a bit recently
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0023V5SPG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

TL;DR Your current one should be fine, but if you're taking Stats, or apparently for C3&4 though I haven't tried it yet, the FX9860GII graphical calc is a big life/time/effortsaver.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 14

OP

Original post by plklupu

I went from the standard cheapo grey Casio, to the silver/purple one, to your one just with solar panels, then right up to an FX9860GII. I'll be honest - buying the FX9860GII, a graphical calculator, was the best decision of my life. Not even for the graphing, which I didn't use - the matrix manipulation, statistics modes, calculation history, so many of this calculator's features were the reason I managed to finish papers to a high A/A* standard on time (Edexcel, that is - not sure how that relates to IB) - without it I'd be lost. I STRONGLY recommend getting this one over the FX9750 - the 9750 has older software without a nice textbook display, and I've heard updating the software yourself could make the calculator exam-illegal. Both the 9750 and the 9860 are exam legal by default, I'm fairly certain (I deleted all the bundled "apps" off of my 9860 just to be sure :P), and in my school my maths teacher just checked it was clear at the beginning of each exam (she knew what the calculator could do, but she was also confident it was fine) - no invigilator ever questioned me about it.

Here's the Amazon page- it's dropped in price quite a bit recently
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0023V5SPG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

TL;DR Your current one should be fine, but if you're taking Stats, or apparently for C3&4 though I haven't tried it yet, the FX9860GII graphical calc is a big life/time/effortsaver.

Will consider this as well, I think my teacher has something similar to this too.

Reply 15

stoyfan

20

Original post by Lemur14

This is the calculator you will want to have. Exam boards have agreed this is the most suitable and most people in your class will most likely have this one as it's definitely one of the cheapest suitable options

Do you have a source for this recommendation?

Reply 16

Original post by stoyfan

Do you have a source for this recommendation?

It's on the FAQ about the new A level here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4840278 (post 3)
Exam boards have a couple of published things (I think some of them are linked on that post) but I'm on my phone so I don't have them to hand sorry

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 17

stoyfan

20

Original post by Lemur14

It's on the FAQ about the new A level here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4840278 (post 3)
Exam boards have a couple of published things (I think some of them are linked on that post) but I'm on my phone so I don't have them to hand sorry

Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you very much.

Reply 18