I am pursuing an AYA Math License for grades 7-12 which means I'm enrolled in a couple undergrad math classes. Well after meeting with some professors to get myself on track and know where I'm heading, I find out my good 'ole TI-85 doesn't cut it anymore. It at least wasn't on the "Prohibited" list like the TI-89 is, but it's outdated, and after some searching on TI's website I found out the TI-85 is retired. So I'm stuck with keeping the TI-85 and possibly not having functions and programs I need or buying a new calculator.
Well, I am a woman, so I chose to go shopping! But I did my research first. I wanted to know what the difference was between the TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-84, TI-84 Plus, TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, and the TI-86. Thankfully TI (which stands for Texas Instruments) has a useful website and they actually have a document that you can download that compares all of these calculators, plus a few others I wasn't interested in. I learned my TI-85 was replaced by the TI-86 and functioned similar to the 'ole TI-85. But when it came down to it all, the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition had more RAM, a faster processor, and more programs. What does all this mean to me?! I still don't know 100% yet, but I know more RAM provides more space for me to download things, add programs, store information; the faster processor means overall it performs quicker, and the more programs were just bonus for me to play around with, if I ever find the time.
My biggest decision was to decide between the TI-83 and the TI-84 because most schools use the TI-83, but with the TI-84 being new I had to wonder how quickly the TI-83's would be phased out for the newer TI-84's. That's another reason why I spent a little more and went for the TI-84.
Okay, so I have this handy-dandy brand spanking new calculator. The first difference (other than the color) I notice is the cover slides off in the opposite direction. (Okay, fine, not a big deal.) Next, the TI-84 doesn't have "Function" keys (yanno those 'F' keys at the top of your keyboard???) The TI-85 had 5 of those 'F' keys that made my life simpler. There isn't a custom menu that I can program my most frequently used functions either. This made it easy for me because I could put 15 different functions in this menu and have them all in reach with one button to scroll through the menu and my five function keys; instead of going into each separate menu and locating the function that way. But all in all, it's a new play toy! I'll get used to it! I haven't touched the TI-85 in quite a few years anyway, so I don't remember much of what it can do anyway!
Sad part is, I don't know how to use half of what the TI-84 is capable of. It came with a user manual, but it's only a small portion of the actual user manual which you need to download off TI's website. Also, I learned how to use my TI-85 in my high school math classes because everything was explained by the teacher and how to use the calculator (okay, mine was a little different since they used the TI-83's in class, but I still had step by step instructions, and once I found how to do it on the TI-85 it was a breeze). Well, now, I'm supposed to know how to do everything on my calculator; know how to find the slope of a tangent line at a specific point of a function, how to find the derivative using my calculator. Well, I know how to graph, so that's a plus, but I need to teach myself how to zoom in on the graph, and use the features above. So, there will be a part two to this rambling mess. If I learn nothing else, I need to learn how to use the derivative function on the calculator so I'll at least be able to use it in my class!!! Wish me luck!
Here are a couple links:
TI's Website (this is Texas Instrument's main website for everything they have) http://www.ti.com/
TI Education Website http://education.ti.com/educationportal/
TI-84 Plus Silver Edition http://www.84silver.com/
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