TI-83 vs. TI-89. NO! it's not the terminator.
08-12-2004, 12:15 PM
#31
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Originally Posted by stevenkhau
If you're going into engineering...screw the calculator. LEARN how to integrate...I'm dead serious...you're gonna have to know the basic calculus operations by heart if you want to do well in engineering. A powerful calculator like a TI-89 will hurt you more than help you cause the prof's can easily come out with test problems to nullify the advantage of these calculators (i.e. they can ask theoretical question without a definitive answer).
besides, ppl say you can use calculators on homework, etc. but if the class does not have problem sets? and what's the point of using calculators on problem sets (when they exist) when u can't on the exams?
08-12-2004, 01:53 PM
#33
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Not sure what type of engineering degree you have or are getting but a good scientific calculator is a must. I have a BSME and I'm almost fnished with my Masters in ME and I have used my HP48g in virtually every class I have had. The math may not be hard but most problems are very long and the calaulator saves tons of time. A class like thermodynamics has very long problems and you need to concentrate on the thermo concepts not the math. You right most proffesors have problems that test your engineering abilities and the calculator won't help you there. I use my calculator all the time at work. So think of the calculator as an investment.
But seriously HP's rule and no one wants to borrow it because they can't figure out how to use it. Just shows how much smarter I am than the guys with TI's. But I was a little jealous of a friends TI92.
But seriously HP's rule and no one wants to borrow it because they can't figure out how to use it. Just shows how much smarter I am than the guys with TI's. But I was a little jealous of a friends TI92.
08-12-2004, 02:30 PM
#35
Originally Posted by Froride1
Not sure what type of engineering degree you have or are getting but a good scientific calculator is a must. I have a BSME and I'm almost fnished with my Masters in ME and I have used my HP48g in virtually every class I have had. The math may not be hard but most problems are very long and the calaulator saves tons of time. A class like thermodynamics has very long problems and you need to concentrate on the thermo concepts not the math. You right most proffesors have problems that test your engineering abilities and the calculator won't help you there. I use my calculator all the time at work. So think of the calculator as an investment.
08-12-2004, 02:34 PM
#36
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Originally Posted by Froride1
But seriously HP's rule and no one wants to borrow it because they can't figure out how to use it. Just shows how much smarter I am than the guys with TI's. But I was a little jealous of a friends TI92.
Using an HP Calculator is like Jeopardy - you must phrase the answer as a question, or know the answer before you input the problem, or press the orange button first, then the green button, and use semicolons after each number, and some other stuff, all helll...everytime I pick one up, I have to relearn it all over again.
The only other point I would make is that if you can't differentiate/integrate by hand + paper, you will fail graciously in differential equations when your professor indicates calculators will not be necessary for the exam.
(and yes I own a TI81 and a TI92)
08-12-2004, 04:06 PM
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The only other point I would make is that if you can't differentiate/integrate by hand + paper, you will fail graciously in differential equations when your professor indicates calculators will not be necessary for the exam.
Your right, I learned calculus and Diff Eq before all these new fangled calculators. So I definately learned how to do it all by hand. I almost went to the darkside and bought a TI92, they are so trick.
Your right, I learned calculus and Diff Eq before all these new fangled calculators. So I definately learned how to do it all by hand. I almost went to the darkside and bought a TI92, they are so trick.
08-12-2004, 04:06 PM
#38
Originally Posted by Impala SS AutoX
LMAO
Got an HP48SX back my Freshman year in college (man, has it really been 14 years?!?!?). You younger whipper-snappers can go look it up now and laugh at the specs, but back in "Da Day" it was THE shiznit
Still have it, and other than a few dead pixels on the display it still works good as new!
Got an HP48SX back my Freshman year in college (man, has it really been 14 years?!?!?). You younger whipper-snappers can go look it up now and laugh at the specs, but back in "Da Day" it was THE shiznit
Still have it, and other than a few dead pixels on the display it still works good as new!
HP-27 for 6th grade... circa 1979-80'ish
it took me forever to recognize RPN...
i recently found a small app that simulates the '27 for the pc... and when i got my palm/phone, i got an RPN calc app...
those polish people sure know how to calculate... lol.....
08-12-2004, 04:18 PM
#39
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Originally Posted by stevenkhau
i got a MSME and got by fine with a 2-line scientific calc with 10 memory banks. i never used graphing functions in any thermo or heat transfer class...i mean it's all just energy balance anyways...I see no need for a 48g. Any more remotely meaningful graphical solutions meant going to MATLAB or actually coding in FORTRAN. Sorry, I still don't see the need for anything more powerful than your ol' plain jane $30 scientific calc.
coding FORTRAN? MATLAB? Thats why I became an ME not much coding. I would rather be designing parts in Pro-E, building things in the shop, or in the lab breaking stuff. Thankfully I have a job where I do exactly that. You don't NEED a calculator like the TI's or HP's but it sure is a nice tool.
08-12-2004, 05:11 PM
#40
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if you want to get through highschool and the SATs really easily i'd go for the ti-89, because it'll show you exactly how it integrated and derived your answer. then again the SATs don't have calc on them... i used a ti-86... it did the job. A problem with the ti-89 is that you're teacher probably doesn't know how to use it so they will never be able to help you out when you have calculator problems.
08-12-2004, 05:12 PM
#41
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Originally Posted by Froride1
coding FORTRAN? MATLAB? Thats why I became an ME not much coding. I would rather be designing parts in Pro-E, building things in the shop, or in the lab breaking stuff. Thankfully I have a job where I do exactly that. You don't NEED a calculator like the TI's or HP's but it sure is a nice tool.
i used plenty of matlab in my ME classes. not too mention plenty of all the cad stuff and machine shop stuff that was a lot of fun as well. i need to find a more fun job. civil engineering is boring. i didn't get a ME degree to do civil stuff all the time.
08-12-2004, 05:35 PM
#42
Originally Posted by Froride1
coding FORTRAN? MATLAB? Thats why I became an ME not much coding. I would rather be designing parts in Pro-E, building things in the shop, or in the lab breaking stuff. Thankfully I have a job where I do exactly that. You don't NEED a calculator like the TI's or HP's but it sure is a nice tool.
Not all ME's are designers and simply look up specs in the MILHBK's. Many work on Computational Fluid Dynamics or Finite Element Analysis...so yes, lots of ME code in MATLAB and FORTRAN.
