calculator question: Which is the best calculator for studying algebra?

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What is the best calculator for algebra? I want to use it more to check my work than to have it do the work for me. I am not as lazy as Lucy but neither am i as gifted as Bird:

lUCYBIRD.jpg
 
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What is the best calculator for algebra? I want to use it more to check my work than to have it do the work for me. I am not as lazy as Lucy but neither am i as gifted as Bird:

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What sorts of work do you need to check, under what circumstances, and how much willpower do you have to keep from using it when it would be bad for you?
 
What sorts of work do you need to check, under what circumstances, and how much willpower do you have to keep from using it when it would be bad for you?

I seriously doubt that I would use it for anything other than checking what I have manually already done. I enjoy figuring the problems out, not getting a black box answer. If I were a student in college with 18 hours on my plate, maybe, but I am doing this stuff without any intention of ever using it for credit or bread and butter work. Using the calculator to do the work would take the fun out of it.
 
I seriously doubt that I would use it for anything other than checking what I have manually already done. I enjoy figuring the problems out, not getting a black box answer. If I were a student in college with 18 hours on my plate, maybe, but I am doing this stuff without any intention of ever using it for credit or bread and butter work. Using the calculator to do the work would take the fun out of it.

That's what I thought.

The important question is the one you haven't really answered: what will you need to check?

A good case can be made that most calculators don't do algebra at all; they do arithmetic. (Some can solve equations, usually by numerical methods rather than algebra per se; some can work with matrices, which can be thought of as doing algebra; some can actually do symbolic manipulation.) Presumably you're talking about just checking solutions by plugging in numbers; then any kind will do the job, as long as it can evaluate the kinds of equations you are solving. (And none will do things like checking your interpretation of a word problem!)

For use while solving problems, I recommend basic "scientific" calculators that display only a number and make you think about the meaning of what you are entering. For checking, ease of use may be more important, so "algebraic" calculators that display both the expression you enter (in a format almost the same as in a book) and the value you get can be a good idea. Even then, it's easy to enter the wrong thing (e.g. omitting parentheses), so you still have to be careful.

But you could want to check more advanced work of various sorts. If you want to check your graphing, for example, a graphing calculator would be good (though much more expensive). Some algebraic calculators will rationalize denominators, if that cartoon was meant to be exactly what you are asking!

Also, I asked about the circumstances (e.g., not on tests, obviously), because you can also check your results by typing in the problem (within limits) at WolframAlpha.com, as long as you have a computer available. It will solve, graph, and lots of other things. You may not need a calculator at all. (But it's not always right or complete, so you need to be a little skeptical if it disagrees with you.)
 
Beer soaked observation follows.

The girl talking to Woodstock is not Lucy.
You are clearly not a fan of Peanuts.
"Peppermint Patty, the tomboy, is forthright, doggedly loyal, with a devastating singleness of purpose, the part of us that goes through life with blinders on."
 
That's what I thought.

The important question is the one you haven't really answered: what will you need to check?

A good case can be made that most calculators don't do algebra at all; they do arithmetic. (Some can solve equations, usually by numerical methods rather than algebra per se; some can work with matrices, which can be thought of as doing algebra; some can actually do symbolic manipulation.) Presumably you're talking about just checking solutions by plugging in numbers; then any kind will do the job, as long as it can evaluate the kinds of equations you are solving. (And none will do things like checking your interpretation of a word problem!)

For use while solving problems, I recommend basic "scientific" calculators that display only a number and make you think about the meaning of what you are entering. For checking, ease of use may be more important, so "algebraic" calculators that display both the expression you enter (in a format almost the same as in a book) and the value you get can be a good idea. Even then, it's easy to enter the wrong thing (e.g. omitting parentheses), so you still have to be careful.

But you could want to check more advanced work of various sorts. If you want to check your graphing, for example, a graphing calculator would be good (though much more expensive). Some algebraic calculators will rationalize denominators, if that cartoon was meant to be exactly what you are asking!

Also, I asked about the circumstances (e.g., not on tests, obviously), because you can also check your results by typing in the problem (within limits) at WolframAlpha.com, as long as you have a computer available. It will solve, graph, and lots of other things. You may not need a calculator at all. (But it's not always right or complete, so you need to be a little skeptical if it disagrees with you.)

Well, in that case, maybe the old Sharp EL-535 I have will do. I was thinking maybe something more advanced. On the advice of someone on this site I bought Stokowski and Cole's Functions and Graphs. These authors seem to put some stress on knowing how to use a calculator. They seem to favor Texas Instruments devices. I don't know. Yes, right now I am working on rationalizing denominators and my Sharp sometimes will present the solution in fractions, but sometimes it uses decimals. I prefer the latter because that is what the author wants. What I do is check the answers to the even numbered problems (the odd solutions are in the back of the book) on this old calculator and if I get a fraction (radicals and all) fine, if it gives me a decimal answer, that is OK for some of the expressions, those without variables, otherwise it is of limited value. I know I can work around this issue and maybe I will. But I often find when I check with the calculator that I am wrong, at which point I always do the whole thing over.
 
Sorry, but I know Lucy when I see her.
Lucy is Linus' older sister, has a crush on Schroeder, and commonly shows up in a counseling booth for 5 cents a problem. And, to the point, has neatly combed black hair.

Peppermint Patty has a dogged assistant, Marcie who calls her "sir", and has a baseball team that competes against Charlie Brown's team. She also has an obsession with Charlie Brown. And again, to the point, has messed up hair.

Sorry, but that's Peppermint Patty talking to Woodstock.

-Dan
 
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What is the best calculator for algebra? I want to use it more to check my work than to have it do the work for me. I am not as lazy as Lucy but neither am i as gifted as Bird:

View attachment 10726
I prefer the TI series. My guess is that a TI-83 would be a good fit for most. It's a good overall graphing calculator and can use symbolic mathematics. It's been around for many years and has stood the test of time. It's a little expensive but it can be used for many tasks you might run into at any level in college/high school.

-Dan
 
Well, in that case, maybe the old Sharp EL-535 I have will do. I was thinking maybe something more advanced. On the advice of someone on this site I bought Stokowski and Cole's Functions and Graphs. These authors seem to put some stress on knowing how to use a calculator. They seem to favor Texas Instruments devices. I don't know. Yes, right now I am working on rationalizing denominators and my Sharp sometimes will present the solution in fractions, but sometimes it uses decimals. I prefer the latter because that is what the author wants. What I do is check the answers to the even numbered problems (the odd solutions are in the back of the book) on this old calculator and if I get a fraction (radicals and all) fine, if it gives me a decimal answer, that is OK for some of the expressions, those without variables, otherwise it is of limited value. I know I can work around this issue and maybe I will. But I often find when I check with the calculator that I am wrong, at which point I always do the whole thing over.

I didn't exactly say that you can't improve over an old calculator. One that I use (that our students aren't allowed to use because it does too much for them) is the Casio fx-115 ES Plus. This is much cheaper than a graphing calculator, but makes the features I use most often easier to get to, since it doesn't use so much space with extras just for graphing. So if you don't need graphing, this might be a good choice. (TI makes something more or less equivalent.)

An important thing to know is that you can set it to a mode where the answers will be decimals, or one where it displays radical form (rationalized) and fractions. This is probably true of all calculators that can display radicals.

(Checking out what yours does, it looks like it's on the same level as mine. The question, again, is what additional features you want -- and whether you are using all the features you already have!)
 
… my Sharp sometimes will present the solution in fractions, but sometimes it uses decimals. I prefer the latter …
One way I force decimal form with my TI is to include add a decimal point to at least one term (and within function arguments). Also, my TI's equals button has a second function as an approximately-equals button (i.e., displays a decimal approximation of the result); you may want to check the manual, to see whether your model has similar features. :cool:
 
Lucy is Linus' older sister, has a crush on Schroeder, and commonly shows up in a counseling booth for 5 cents a problem. And, to the point, has neatly combed black hair.

Peppermint Patty has a dogged assistant, Marcie who calls her "sir", and has a baseball team that competes against Charlie Brown's team. She also has an obsession with Charlie Brown. And again, to the point, has messed up hair.

Sorry, but that's Peppermint Patty talking to Woodstock.

-Dan

After having studied the matter and viewed multiple times representations of Lucy and Patty, I have concluded that you are right. The girl in the clip is Patty. One for you.

Thanks for the tip re:TI-83. I will look into it. I am sure it has more features and functions than I will ever conceive of, let alone use.
 
I didn't exactly say that you can't improve over an old calculator. One that I use (that our students aren't allowed to use because it does too much for them) is the Casio fx-115 ES Plus. This is much cheaper than a graphing calculator, but makes the features I use most often easier to get to, since it doesn't use so much space with extras just for graphing. So if you don't need graphing, this might be a good choice. (TI makes something more or less equivalent.)

An important thing to know is that you can set it to a mode where the answers will be decimals, or one where it displays radical form (rationalized) and fractions. This is probably true of all calculators that can display radicals.

(Checking out what yours does, it looks like it's on the same level as mine. The question, again, is what additional features you want -- and whether you are using all the features you already have!)

I am sure I am not using even a respectable fraction of the features mine has and I can say the same of any of the other calculators I have had over the years. I often think back to my school days...The only calculators available in those days weighed about...what? 10 pounds? They called them adding machines. If someone had gotten a hold of even the lowest end calculator or our day...WOW, he would have given an Archimedian cry loud enough to shake the windows.
Thanks for the tip. I will check out the Casio.
 
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One way I force decimal form with my TI is to include add a decimal point to at least one term (and within function arguments). Also, my TI's equals button has a second function as an approximately-equals button (i.e., displays a decimal approximation of the result); you may want to check the manual, to see whether your model has similar features. :cool:
Right. I will do that. Thanks
 
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