$100 calculator for HS

[zurgswife]

Okay so it's standard practice...but how did I get through Algebra 2, Act and SAT in the late 80's without a calculator???

Lots of scratch paper..LOL

PS it was standard for all my kids too...I think I purchased at least 3 of those calculators over the years with 3 teens going through high school at almost the same time..

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Okay so it's standard practice...but how did I get through Algebra 2, Act and SAT in the late 80's without a calculator???

I needed to get a super duper calculator (can't remember how much $) for trig when I was in high school - 1984. I used it throughout college and for years after that. It finally died in the late 90's.

 

[Minnesota!]

My son is a few years from high school, but when I was in school (graduated in later 90's)...we had to provide our own fancy one. I think it's pretty common...it was always on the school supply lists for the public and private schools around here.

ETA - my MOM used a calculator in high school or college...we used it as a toy when we were little. it was pretty chunky and orange! This was in the late 60s, early 70s...so not sure why you didn't have one in the 80s. I started high school in the early 90's...and we needed one from the get go.

 

[FourBees]

Bought my girls the TI89. They said it was much more helpful especially the further along they went with their math classes.

 

[Becky2005]

Unfortunately, yes...they *have* to have this $$$$ calculator (which is a bit funny since when I was in school it was considered the ultimate evil to have a calculator for math -- although they did allow it at the higher levels but I think it was the TI-35 or something like that (maybe TI-85)).

My DD is a Senior and math isn't her strong point, so she had been limping by with a cheaper version...this year she really couldn't anymore.

 

[diznygirl]

Okay so it's standard practice...but how did I get through Algebra 2, Act and SAT in the late 80's without a calculator???

It's the New Math.


Actually, in High School I didn't need it for Algebra 2, but it was required for Trig and Calc.

 

[agnes!]

The TS (whatever) I got for DD in 9th grade is still going strong and she's in her first year of college....took her through AP Calculus and she's used it in some of her math classes this year. We got ours at Costco and went for the silver edition. Check to make sure whatever you get is ok for use during standardized tests like the ACT and the various SATs.

agnes!

 

[mrsxsparrow]

I got mine at Target when it was one sale for around $70, but it came with a $10 gift card, and I used a Target card for an extra 5% off. Check around, it's always "on sale" somewhere. They also sell them at Costco -- not sure how much though.

But yep, pretty much standard. Though my school also rented them out by semester if you didn't want to buy one.

 

[drag n' fly]

It is a requirement here to have them in high school. For those that cannot afford them there are subsidy programs available so everyone can have one.

 

[punkin]

Yes, we had to buy one.

I've often gotten my at Target when they are on sale and then I use my Target card to get another 5% off. Hey, every little bit helps.

My son goes to a private school and the school has purchased 20 of these calculators for use by students who cannot afford to buy one.

DD goes to public school and there are calculators available for use of students there as well. Nevertheless, every single child in her math class has his/her own ti84.

 

[mrsmom]

I'am getting ready to buy my fourth one, each one of my kids are required to have their own. but they do use them alot.

 

[3boymthr]

If it makes you feel better I had to buy it for DS in when he was in 7th Grade! We hadn't even made Algebra 2 yet

 

[goofy!]

Semester changed today and my son is in algebra 2. He came home telling us that the calculator he has isn't the right one and we need a Ti 83 or 84 for this class. It's only $100.

I'm pissed. The school requires 4 math classes, algebra 2 and pre-calc are pretty standard for most students. And I have to provide the calculator.

So dis-friends, does your school require that you buy your kid a calculator for a high school math class????

Yes. The TI84 is a pretty standard requirement for all high school students.

Note: I would go with the TI84 and not the TI83 as it will last through more classes and well into college. We just upgraded our son to the TI nspire ($150) due to more complex engineering classes, but his 84 lasted him all through highschool and the first 3.5 years of college.

Our school requires the calculator and starting today, all freshman had to have a laptop provided by parents (around $500.00).

 

[Tinks]

Yes and we are also required to purchase him a laptop for HS.

 

[manning]

It's not true. The people credited with inventing Algebra, Calc, Geometry, etc. did not. It was impossible for them to do so......they didn't have electronic calculators.

There is an advantage in using an Abacus....you never have to change/charge the battery.

 

[StephMK]

Wow, we have not had to provide a laptop but yes, we also had to pay for the T-4. I have 2 others that will be coming up into math so at least it should last us several years.

It definitely was not a happy surprise when DD came home that day and needed it the next day though!

 

[spacemountainmom]

I had to buy that for my kids in 8th grade.

 

[NotUrsula]

Okay so it's standard practice...but how did I get through Algebra 2, Act and SAT in the late 80's without a calculator???

By either doing simpler problems, or more probably, fewer of them. The calculator allows levels of complexity that would add hours to the calculation times if you were doing them with scratch paper and a slide rule.

PS: Did you know that there were also different models of slide rule available to match the level of complexity that needed to be handled? My dad had several of them, and some were much simpler than others.

I just checked, and the ACT regular math section now gives you 60 minutes to do 60 problems: so you get one minute for each one. I know that the version I took 30 years ago didn't require that kind of speed on the math. Apparently, they started allowing the use of calculators in 1994.

 

[MrsDuck]

I had to buy the same calculator in high school.

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

When I was in HS which was 10 years ago we had to have a graphing calculator at the time the latest/greatest was the Ti-82. While its $100 the calculator will be useful for him in High School but also in College as most math classes in College that I have attended even in the last 3 years have required a calculator and/or Graphing Calculator and having it already was useful to me.

Make sure you put his name on the graphing calculator on the outside and open the battery compartment and find a small place to put a marking that only you and he knows about. that way if its stolen you can identify it not only by the name but by the different marking. (even permanent marker can get removed if the person really wants to get rid of the name on the outside) Having a marking under the batteries where the thief won't be likely to look for it will help identify it.

But needing a calculator in High School is not new at least to me I needed it 10+ years ago so I expect it now.