Which calculator?

So I was perusing the allowed calculators list on the NCEES website and was giving thought to what I want to use, since my regular calculator is definitely not allowed, and I want to study with a calculator I can actually use for the test.

Casio: All fx-115 models. Any Casio calculator must contain fx-115 in its model name.

Hewlett Packard: The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others.

Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models. Any Texas Instruments calculator must contain either TI-30X or TI-36X in its model name.

I've never used Casio or HP calculators - we always had TIs in school and they're what I've always used. My trusty TI-89 has been my sole calculator for years. The only one of the TI calcs on the list that I'd consider is the TI-30XS Multi View (yay for Pretty Print!). I think since it has TI-30X in the model name, I could use that one, at least according to NCEES.

I've read that the HP 33s is the "best" calculator on the allowed list, but I've never done the RPN thing. The spec sheet says it can be used in either RPN or algebraic mode, which helps. What's the fuss over the HP - is it because it can store equations and formulas?

I might grab one of each and see what I think - I know the HP is allowed and if I bring both of them in October, I'd be fine as long as I'm familiar with both.

Thoughts? Which one did you get, and why?

I think most people (that I talk to) use the brand they have been using, it seems to have the most similarity. but you defin want to get it early & get familiar with it.

I was an HP guy so I used the HP 33s, even though it was different than the 48, its was close enough...

I also used a TI-89 back in school and now at work. I decided to get the HP 33s for the PE in April, probably because of the programming capabilities (which I have yet to even look at). I would definately set it to algabraic mode if you are used to TI's. Regardless of which one you choose, get it soon and get familiar with it. Use it exclusively, even at work. It's probably a good idea to get two just in case one goes out during the exam.

The brand/type of calculator is less important than your familiarity with it. One could pass the exam with a $5 Wal-Mart calculator (provided it was allowed), if they were familiar with it. Don’t get caught up in the calculator hype.

I think the HP versus TI thing is generational. Those of us born in the 70s and 80s would have likely used TI calculators starting from elementary school, thanks to their near-monopoly in education. The younger engineers at work exclusively use TI graphing calculators (even if we don't need to graph all that often!). All of the older guys at work use HPs, many of them looking well-used, and they all use RPN for some reason. We never even learned RPN!

My father in law is a high school math teacher and is going to get me that TI for super cheap, and I'll pick up the HP, too. I like the idea of programming a few common equations into it, but I'm also the kind of person who'd want to check my equation anyways. The HP seems to have a nice equation solver, so we'll see which one I prefer...

Anyone choose the Casio? I'm just curious as to why people chose the calculator they did.

Katiebug said:

Anyone choose the Casio? I'm just curious as to why people chose the calculator they did.

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I chose the Casio. I actually bought the Casio and a TI, and worked with both while studying. I figured I'd lean towards the TI since I had been using TI's since middle school, but to my surprise I found I preferred the Casio as my primary calculator and used the TI for a back up.

Like others have said, the most important thing is to get familiar with whichever calculator you are going to be using for the exam. Studying with a calculator that you won't be allowed to use on the exam is doing yourself a disservice.

I was an HP guy growing up and still use the HP TI-84 at work. I picked up an HP and tried to use it but it felt to me that everything was backwards on the HP. I found that the TI was easier to use because I was used to it and when I was studying the last thing on my mind was trying to figure out how to use the calculator.

I figured if I didn't know the material then the calculator wasn't going to help me anyway so I stuck with the one that I knew. Just my 2 cents though

jroyce said:

when I was studying the last thing on my mind was trying to figure out how to use the calculator.
I figured if I didn't know the material then the calculator wasn't going to help me anyway so I stuck with the one that I knew. Just my 2 cents though

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I had been using a couple TI graphing calculators for years, so switching back to a scientific (even one the same brand as my graphing calculators) was a little different. I would much rather be searching for the pi button when I'm studying rather then when I'm being timed on the actual exam. Plus I was able to find some of the more useful advanced features of the calculator (like the simultaneous equation solver) while I was studying which I never would have discovered otherwise.

Katiebug said:

I think the HP versus TI thing is generational. Those of us born in the 70s and 80s would have likely used TI calculators starting from elementary school, thanks to their near-monopoly in education. The younger engineers at work exclusively use TI graphing calculators (even if we don't need to graph all that often!). All of the older guys at work use HPs, many of them looking well-used, and they all use RPN for some reason. We never even learned RPN!

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Hey ... are you calling me chronologically advanced?? A dinosaur even ??!!!!

I was born in 1971, so I guess I am on the cusp of your generational divide. I started using RPN my first semester of college - never turned back. For my upper division work, most of the classwork/exams required one to KNOW and be able to program auto-lisp per the HP model of the day (48-GX had just become popular) in order to solve problems. RPN has been drilled into me that deeply.

Enter the P.E. exam. I tried really, really hard to use a T.I. It isn't that the T.I. didn't have the necessary functionality, it was that I just had a hard time in accurately entering calculations via algebraic entry. I found myself floundering and getting frustrated because of numerous miskeyed strokes. I promise you, this test is about timing - and if you are slow on the calculator you are giving up A LOT!

Cut to the chase - I purchased an HP-33S for my last exam. I credit the right calculator (in terms of comfort, not functionality) going a long way towards successfully passing this exam. After all, an engineer is only as good as the proficiency he holds with his tools.

Now on to YOUR point ...

I think you need to sum up what functionality and level of comfort that YOU need in a calculator. The EEs often talk about ease of converting from rectangular to polar and vice-versa seemlessly. I know Civils talk a lot about 'programming' algorithms for pipeflow and such but I would say that isn't necessary - I didn't have a single programmed equation in my calc and don't think it hurt me. :true: For me the finer points of functionality were: 1. RPN entry and 2. Multiple viewable stacks. Other than having the other typically scientific calc keys, the remainder was gravy.

I would start to work problems and see what you feel like you need for comfort and ease of problem solving.

JR

I've been using TI-30s since they had red LED indicators, so I went with the TI-30. However, when I took it in October, they only allowed the TI-30 X II S. On the II models, you don't input formulas the same way as the regular TI-30s and I absolutely hated that calculator. I had it enshrined with my PE certificate and NCEES pensil, since I knew I was never gonna use it again.

I used the HP33S for the simple fact that it wasn't RPN exclusively. I never learned RPN and didn't want to learn something new for the exam.

My forefathers would have been very upset since I am a Polander.

I grew up on the TIs and used the TI85 - 89 in high school and in college. I loathed the HPs at the time. But when I started studying, my company at the time had bought all the engineers the HP and so I started using it (very reluctantly). Now...I love my HP and still use it for everything. I get frustrated trying to use a "normal" calculator (as my hubby calls everything but HPs) and will probably never go back to the TI.

I went with the Casio fx-115MS (switching from a programmable TI-85).

I chose this model because when I went into Wally World, this happened to be the only model on the approved list that was available, and they even had more than one!

I agree with everyone else that it is not the calculator that you choose, but the time you spend with it. I have packed away my TI-85 and have been using my new shiny Casio since that time. It is really hard to go back and just pick up someone else's TI and start to do calculations on.

I also went with the Casio (I'm Civil/Structural). I used TI's all through high school and picked up a used HP-48GX during my sophomore year of college... I LOVED RPN!!! But, I borrowed someone's HP-33 once and HATED it. So, about six months before I was going to take the test I went through the list of allowed calculators and bought the cheapest one ($14.99 for the Casio). I figured if I didn't like it, I was only out $15, and if I did, I could afford to get a couple as backups. I used it exclusively for about a week, put my trusty old HP-48GX in it's soft case and haven't gotten it out since. I probably couldn't use RPN now if I tried... but the Casio does everything I need it to do.

I think it just comes down to knowing your calculator... at this point you don't have time to learn 3 or 4 calculators before April... pick one and run with it. Hide your old calculators and use the exam calculator for EVERYTHING. Then, before the exam, buy at least one more IDENTICAL calculator as a backup in case your batteries fail or your primary calculator falls on the floor and gets stepped on by a 350lb proctor... (hey, it could happen!)

The 2nd calculator must be identical to the first, or it's useless. Sometimes, even the same family of calculators will have different keypad layouts, which will cause you to lose time during the exam.

I bought the HP 33s and Casio FX-115MS they're both great calculators. I suggest buying both b/c of the reason that you need a backup calulator just in case! The casio FX-115MS is only $14.99.

I grew up using TIs and I used the TI-30X IIS on the PE in October 07. I used the same one on the FE when I took that as well. I think I took the first FE exam where they regulated what calculator you could use (April 04) so I was sort of familiar with it already. I liked that it had a 2-line display and the input was similar to my TI-89. I started using it the first day I started studying and I agree with everyone else, become familiar with whatever calculator you choose and you shouldn't have problems if you know the material. As far as being able to store equations, I don't think that is a necessity because you will have been studying so much by the time you take the exam, you will know most of the equations that you will use by that point. I would also suggest the back up calculator, but I would recommend having the same calculator for both your main calculator and a back up, not a TI for one and an HP for the other.

If I am not mistaken I bought the HP33 through www.business-supply.com. I compared prices and they had the best price. Check www.dealtime.com and they will compare the prices for you.

I got a TI-85 in high school and used it through college and my first job until I started studying for the exam.

For some reason, RPN really stuck on me and I decided to buy a HP33s.

I've actually never looked into programming it either!

The price of the 33S has dropped significantly ($20 on $60) since the 35S came out last year. I *hate* using a "normal" calculator because I can never remember all the parentheses needed. For me, stacks are a natural way to think, so I love them.

I don't think ANYONE should change from algebraic to RPN just for the PE exam...

If you are going to take the Power module of the EE test my best advice is to go with the Casio FX-115ES. It manages the complex numbers so easily that a caveman can...never mind. You got the idea.

FX-115ES should be the weapon of choice for the EE Power. I tried the HP-33s, did not work for me.