Expert: Sherman D. - 8/26/2005

Question
Hi Sherman
I am going to be a student in grade 11. We are asked to get graphing calculator and the textbooks go by Texas Instruments TI-83 model. I look at them online and there are TI83 plus versions also. Hmmm so many choices! So expensive! Im not an ebay shopper but I'd like to get a good deal, and get to know the value of the cable, manuals included... maybe I should check out the store soon...  I believe I will not use the calculator in the future, but maybe the $100+ investment for this gadget will be a worthwhile decision? Thanks I'll here from you soon!

Michelle  

Answer
other than ebay, the only other place i know of is www.amazon.com, but they will be the same as if you were to buy it from the store. Just type in TI-83 and click search. This also allows you to buy each item individually. You can also try www.radioshack.com

I don't know if your school does, but when i had Algebra I and II and Pre-Calculus, we were allowed to use the graphing calculators as long as we didn't take them home.

But since you have the internet, i can provide you with some graphing calculator assistance from home without needing a TI-83, but i can't help you at school. If you can afford one, i recommend the Colored Graph Calculators. Just make sure to watch after it, because someone will take your calculator.

Try these sites for help.

www.calculator.com
graphs must be in y = form, and you are only allowed to do your graphs using "x" and not any other variables.
The graphed lines are colored and your are also allowed to change the margins and use graph tracing, but you can't do inequalities. Also you can follow the lines to get a somewhat close answer.

www.quickmath.com
This site does inequalities, matrices, and all kinds of equations. This site you are allowed to put your graph in any kind of form, x + y = z or y = mx + b.

at both sites i recommend that if you have a -ax^2 + bx + c form, i would put the -ax^2 like this -a(x^2) so it doesn't mistake that as (-ax)^2.

You can also use a y = log(a) type problems, however don't forget that graphing calculators don't understand log(base x)y type problems, so you have to put them in (log(y))/(log(x)) form instead. Also the graphs will do e^x problems.

Also if at anytime you have trouble figuring out the sites or if you are typing your problem one way, but they are comming out wrong, for ex: if you type -x^2 at calculator.com, it will graph upward, however if you type it as -(x^2) it will graph downward, so watch out how you type your graph. Well anyway, i will try and help you type and do your problems correctly.