Who needs brains when you've got batteries?

Author's Rating:

Pros: This is the god of all calculators.

Cons: Gods, though omniscient, are often difficult to understand.

The Bottom Line: 
Take care of your calculator, and your calculator will take care of you.

Author's Review
The Rambling Circumlocutory Introduction
I have a confession to make. I do not like math. In fact, you might go so far as to say that I hate it. I hate math right down to its disgustingly numerical innards. I harbor an extreme dislike for the concept of imaginary numbers (yes, imaginary numbers exist - how's that for a paradox!). If derivatives and integrals were living beings instead of intangible and barely comprehensible theories of calculus, I assure you that I would be the first to plot their demise. I hate math. And the feeling is mutual.

So how did I manage to survive through so many years (I'm not going to count how many years because that would involve the hated mathematical concept of addition... why must math spite me so??) of school-induced numerical torture? By periodically burning an effigy of whoever happened to be the author of my current textbook. And by bringing a calculator with me everywhere I went.

At first, I relied on the little cheap calculators with the mismatching rhinestone buttons that sparkle oh so prettily. The novelty of these buttons soon faded, and during highschool I graduated to the use of the fine fine products manufactured by Texas Instruments. My first was a TI-82. This wondrous little machine got me through my freshman year math class (Algebra 2 and Trigonometry) without a hitch. My biggest complaint with that version of the calculator was its stealability. Mine was swiped at school when my back was turned (who says teens aren't trustworthy?) and I can only assume that its subsequent illegal sale helped some poor local teen obtain the drugs that they so badly needed. But I digress.

During my sophomore year (Pre-Calculus) I was informed that the new standard calc was a TI-83+. So I reluctantly whined and begged until my parents spent another $80 to buy me the aforementioned calculator.

The Point (more or less)
The TI-83+ has since become my best inanimate friend. It is an absolute necessity for higher-level math courses such as the dreaded Calculus.

The screen is 64x96 pixels (roughly 2x2.5 inches), plenty of room for the average graph. The equation of the function, the graph of the function, and the coordinates can all be seen simultaneously. It can easily accomodate long equations (and you will get very many very long very tedious equations in Calculus). It will calculate regression lines for you. It comes with an equation solver program (never try to factor X^5-1/3X^4-56X^2+3 again!) which is a lifesaver when you need to solve for X quickly.

This calculator has too many built in programs to list here. Luckily, it comes with its own instruction novel to explain in detail all its capabilities.

One of my favorite things about the calculator is the programming feature. With 24KB RAM, and a 160KB data archive and storage space, you can "download" lots of programs from other calculators using a free included graph-link cord, or from the TI website using a computer-link cord (not included). These programs work very similarly to programs on computers, minus the fancy graphics. You can get programs that will evaluate integrals for you, work out the MRAM (a tedious way of estimating the area under a curve by drawing many, many rectangles and finding their areas instead) in seconds, and even tell you the percent error. Once you read the section of the instruction novella about programming, it becomes relatively easy to make your own programs as well. I've made several, and I am by no means an expert on the subject.

And you can get games, too! Stuck on problem #8 on the important Calculus test? Play a little Tetris while still maintaining the outward appearance of doing work. Fail with dignity and have fun while you're at it! Whee!

It should be noted that the machine itself is extremely durable. I have dropped mine (or thrown it across the room in a fit of math-induced frustration) innumerable times, and it's still going strong. I have had it two years, and it barely has a scratch. During that time, I have changed the batteries once. And the outer cases now come in a variety of rainbow colors. That's just nifty.

It can take a fairly long time to learn how to properly use this calculator, due to the sheer amount of programs and functions available on it. The basics are easily picked up right away of course, but I'm sure there are some features that I don't know about yet. However, since this is the standard calc in most schools now, the schools should be making an effort to teach students how to use the most important features. And it's always nice to be able to follow along on your own with what the teacher is doing.

However, I like this version better than the TI-89 because it is still much easier to understand and work with than the more advanced ones without sacrificing too many features.

Therefore, though I do not at all recommend taking any sort of math course, if you find yourself in one I highly recommend this amazing calculator. Nothing else comes close.