Texas Instruments - TI83 Review

Texas Instruments - TI83 — 

Bottom-Line: The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator is probably the last calculator you will purchase in your academic career, it is just that powerful. 

Texas Instruments released the first TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator, and upgrade of the TI-82, in 1996, and it has gone to be one of the most widely used graphing calculators for students across a broad range of educational levels.  In addition to the functions found on normal scientific calculators the TI-83 Plus includes graphing, polar/parametric/sequence graphing modes, statistics, trigonometric, calculus (the Plus) and algebraic functions.  Texas Instruments released the TI-83 Plus in 1999 as a replacement for the normally aspired TI-83.  The TI-83 Plus also ships with flash memory, which would enable the devices’ OS to be updated as needed.

Powered by (4) AAA-sized batteries (plus 1 CR-1616 or CR 1620 lithium battery for backup), the TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator is large unit ideal for advanced mathematics students high school algebra to college-level calculus, and statistics.  The TI-83 Plus packs a lot of mathematical punch and the price of $127.00 (Office Depot.com) certainly confirms it. 

The TI-83 Plus calculator combines features for statistical analysis, engineering, trigonometric and financial functions making it ideal for a student seeking an MBA.  Financial functions include TVM, cash flows and amortization, though surprisingly a percentage key is missing from the calculator.

My Viewpoint

Ample time should be given to learning what the TI-83 Plus can bring to the table.  All of the nine digits are there of course, but the face of the calculator contains a whole lot more in the form of multi-colored special function buttons; and there are a lot of them!   However, the TI-83 Plus ships with very detailed, instruction manual, so I plan to carry it with me at all times.

Though I was stunned by the high price of the unit the Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator is probably the last calculator you will purchase in your academic career, it is just that powerful.  You can buy it for a high school student and (s)he can use it through graduate school.