Case Student Affairs

I don't currently own a graphing calculator.  What type would you recommend for a physics major?  Or, with a program like gcalc on my laptop, would I still need/want one?

Thanks! 

hello well i am not physics major so I am not sure what kind of classes you will be taking. I took two different physics classes this past year and the math I did throughout the course was simple algebra but all the same problems could also be done with calculus. i used a TI-89 my entire senior and it became my baby but they are very expensive and most professors don't allow them. it's almost to your own discretion. You really won't need anything more than a calculator that can do trig functions and simple graphing. Everything else should be computer program-based.

 Hi Elizabeth, I have both a TI-83 and a TI-89 calculator. The TI-89 is amazing because of the built-in computer algebra system that will solve equations and the basic calculus operators for you, but I don't know if a lot of professors will approve of using them since it could basically carry you through calculus I and II if your class is not really rigorus or proof-based  (I'm not really sure if they are or not, since I'm an incoming freshman too).

 

But that being said the TI-89 is a great tool, especially for engineers and people in physics.

 

-Patrick

 The TI-89 has had no problems at Case.  I haven't ever seen a professor ban it.  It's very powerful and will do you good until you discover Mathematica/Matlab.  Just be sure you know the math and only use the calculator to see if you got the answer right.  They expect you to show your work!

Is MatLab/Mathematica available from the software store at a reduced price at all? Do you know Chad?

 Both are free! ;)  For Windows, Mac, and Linux even.

 You'll still need a calculator though.  No professors allow you to use Laptops on math tests.

I am a physics major and I have used a Voyage 200 (replacement of the TI-92) and it has been great. In two years I have only had three classes where I couldn't use it on tests.  Two of them wer taught by the same professor and he doesn't allow graphing calculators of any kind.  In the third class, calculators were not allowed at all.  I have heard of other professors having their own polocies.  If you can offord both, it might be worth having an 83 and an 89 so you will be ready prepared for just about any situation.  If you can only have one, I would recommend the 89 as well as a cheap scientific calculator as a backup for when you can't use the 89.

CHAD ROCKEY:

 Both are free! ;)  For Windows, Mac, and Linux even.

 You'll still need a calculator though.  No professors allow you to use Laptops on math tests.

Matlab is not free, although I do believe it is available in the software center for case students for free. (A lot of you will say that is the same thing, but it is not)