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Ask HN: Should there be new RPN calculators to replace the TI-84?

28 points idatum | 3 comments | 09 Mar 25 05:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.89s | source

I took an exam today where only TI calculators were available. I felt I was caught between some older models where the TI interface was not quite worked out.

And I don't see much progress then trying my daughter's TI-84.

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parsimo2010 ◴[12 Mar 25 14:32 UTC] No.43343669[source]▶
IMHO we'd be better off focusing on policies that allow computers to be used on standardized exams. Hardly anybody uses a calculator in a real job, people at desks use computers, and even people who have to do calculations in a field environment use ruggedized tablets. Rather than working on revamping obsolete technology we should work on a way to make a computer acceptable to use on an exam in a way that addresses cheating concerns.

But if you really wanted to keep using a calculator, you should check out the HP Prime, Casio Prizm, or TI-Nspire series. The HP Prime has RPN, and all of these lines have color touch screens and a bunch of modern features. The TI-84 is not the pinnacle of technology, it is popular only because it is an exam-acceptable and an old standard format that people are used to.

replies(2): >>43343967 #>>43346055 #
1. bluGill ◴[12 Mar 25 14:59 UTC] No.43343967[source]▶
What are you testing? I found in math that my test scores went up when I quit using a calculator. All the exam questions were carefully designed to make the arithmetic easy if you did it right. Thus anytime the arithmetic looked hard I knew to start over and find/fix my mistake.

In physics that didn't always apply, but it did often enough that I didn't pull out my calculator until after double checking that I was sure I did all the steps right.

In engineering classes the math was never easy. In the early classes you should still use a basic calculator though as the point is to understand the math behind the problems. In latter classes you can be assumed to understand that and computers to do all that complex math while you focus on the large problem might be good.

replies(1): >>43344922 #
2. parsimo2010 ◴[12 Mar 25 16:28 UTC] No.43344922[source]▶
OP's question wasn't about whether they should use a calculator on an exam or not. If you can trust that an exam has questions crafted to have integer answers and completed only with basic arithmetic, then use that strategy by all means.

OP's question was whether or not there should be replacements for the TI-84, and mentioned that this question arose from an experience taking an exam. Aside from the fact that they may be confused about what RPN is, I suggested that I would consider the use of computers a better focus for exams rather than getting a replacement for the TI-84. And aside from that, there are already replacements in the forms of new calculator product lines.

replies(1): >>43345078 #
3. bluGill ◴[12 Mar 25 16:43 UTC] No.43345078[source]▶
The correct answer depends on the exam's goal. If you want to verify understanding the fundamentals, then a pencil and paper is all you should get. However that limits the complexity of the problem you can be asked. With a calculator you can do more complex problems - but the tool will do some things for you and so if you get the answer wrong there is no way to know if you failed on the fundamentals (you need to drop out of this class and be send to the lower level one) or the complexity (stay in this class).