10 replies to this topic

[jenni179]

I'm going to be taking the Civil PE: Water/Env depth in Oct '10. I was wondering which calculator I should purchase? I've heard great things about the HP-33 but I've only used TI calculators in the past. I have a TI-30 calculator that I used for the FE but the HP calculators look better.

I was wondering if the HP-35 is better than the HP-33? Are they better than the TI-30 calculator that I have? I wasn't that impressed with the TI-30 but I use a TI-89 on a regular basis so that could be the reason.....

Also, is it difficult to get familiar with the HP when you’re use to TI? Also, there’s a Casio calculator I can use. Did anyone use a Casio on the exam?

Thanks so much,

Jen

[MechGuy]

I'm going to be taking the Civil PE: Water/Env depth in Oct '10. I was wondering which calculator I should purchase? I've heard great things about the HP-33 but I've only used TI calculators in the past. I have a TI-30 calculator that I used for the FE but the HP calculators look better.

I was wondering if the HP-35 is better than the HP-33? Are they better than the TI-30 calculator that I have? I wasn't that impressed with the TI-30 but I use a TI-89 on a regular basis so that could be the reason.....

Also, is it difficult to get familiar with the HP when you’re use to TI? Also, there’s a Casio calculator I can use. Did anyone use a Casio on the exam?

Thanks so much,

Jen

I'm a Casio fan myself. Very easy to use and inexpensive.

[Dark Knight]

I used Casio FX-115ES and would be my advice to you to do the same. As Mech said, it is cheap and very nice for a less than $20 calculator. I used the HP-33 in my first try and I thought it was decent. After I tried the Casio never looked back since it was GRRRRRRREAT(sorry....carried away)...just great!!!!

[Paul S]

I have both and prefer the HP-35. The HP-35 is more in line visually and physically with all of the other HP RPN calculators. The HP-33 does not even look like a HP to me. The buttons on the HP-35 are better. The HP-35 also has built in 3x3 and 2x2 linear equations solvers. You have to manually program the HP-33 to solve these.

[IlPadrino]

<ducks>RPN all the way... anything else is for simpletons.</ducks>

[EM_PS]

I'm going to be taking the Civil PE: Water/Env depth in Oct '10. I was wondering which calculator I should purchase? I've heard great things about the HP-33 but I've only used TI calculators in the past. I have a TI-30 calculator that I used for the FE but the HP calculators look better.

I was wondering if the HP-35 is better than the HP-33? Are they better than the TI-30 calculator that I have? I wasn't that impressed with the TI-30 but I use a TI-89 on a regular basis so that could be the reason.....

Also, is it difficult to get familiar with the HP when you’re use to TI? Also, there’s a Casio calculator I can use. Did anyone use a Casio on the exam?

Most HP reviewers will say the 35 is better than the 33. If you've never used HP, I doubt you'd be overly biased towards one or the other. The 33 can be found for reasonable prices nowadays...I think HP is on verge of discontinuing it(?). Either model is exponentially better than the TI 30, or any other allowed TI.

Both casio models (115MS / ES) are pretty good deals price to feature wise, and about 1/3 the cost of the HPs. The 115ES is the better of the two, having matrix, vector & tabulated calculation capabiltity which the MS does not. They're also algebraic in entry mode, which would be what you're used to w/ the TI's. If price is issue, probably go with Casio. As IlPadrino says, HP's best draw is RPN. They have a steeper learning curve, and require programming for alot of features the casios can do straight out of the box. The HP's probably have greatest capability of all allowed calcs, but like i said, may require a fair amount of programming though.

[jenni179]

Thanks so much for all your responses!

[jeb6294]

I was wondering if the HP-35 is better than the HP-33? Are they better than the TI-30 calculator that I have? I wasn't that impressed with the TI-30 but I use a TI-89 on a regular basis so that could be the reason.....

I don't think there's much difference in the calculators you are allowed to use. Sure the HP's have some programming abilities, but search some of the old threads and you'll see that doesn't mean much on the exam. If you've already got a legal calc then I would recommend using that one because, to be honest, you probably won't ever use it again after the exam since there are much better ones for every day use when there's no proctors looking over your shoulder.

Also, is it difficult to get familiar with the HP when you're use to TI?

I've not used HP's so I'm not used to the RPN...some people can't figure it out, some can't seem to live without it...but I would suggest that the PE Exam is not the place to start trying something new.

[crogmobulon]

A little late, but my $0.02 on the HPs.

I bought an HP-33 from ebay when I first began preparing. It does OK, but it is no where near the quality of older models. The display is harder to read (especially the decimal point), and as stated before, it just doesn't look or feel like an HP. So, I decided to try out the HP-35. It looks more like a traditional HP, but it feels like a cheap imitation. The buttons are not as responsive, and I have to be more careful when keying in equations so that I don't drop a digit. Other weirdness includes moving some formerly primary functions like x^2 and STO to secondary positions requiring one to have to hit the shift key first.

The 35 feels more comfortable than the 33 to me. It has been my primary calc for working practice problems, and will be during the exam. I'll bring along the 33 as a back-up.

I don't really have much of a choice since my brain has been programmed to use RPN since high school (back in the early '80s). I would be so much happier if I could use my rock solid HP-15c or even my 32s. Can anyone shine any light on why NCEES won't let us use older model HPs???

[Flyer_PE]

Can anyone shine any light on why NCEES won't let us use older model HPs???

They keep the list of approved calculators as small as possible to make it easy for the proctors to tell whether your calculator is legal or not. The easiest way for them to operate is that if it isn't specifically approved, then you can't use it.