Calculator Policy

[NCcarguy]

Has anybody actually had a calculator failure during the exam?

I took THREE (3) of them to the test with me, AND had extra batteries too.....There was NO WAY I was going to get caught with a dead calculator! It's just NOT something to play around with!

 

[udpolo15]

I doubt it... but it would sure be interesting to see which model they chose! I'd guess they'd have at least two (one RPN and one normal) - and the RPN costs at least $40.
There's no problem with adding programs to your calculator and given the PE exam is open book, why save reference material? Maybe for the FE exam you'd like lots of programs (it would sure speed up some of the calculations), but you'd have to do it by hand (none of the approved calculators let you automatically install programs). I was very sad when they prevented the use of the HP48 - I've got so many programs for that thing (all of which can be installed) it would make you sick!

I didn't think about RPN since I don't use it. My calculator for the PE cost around $25ish.

My point with the calculator modification would be to actually make changes to the calculator itself like swapping out the processor (not sure if that is the right term) and installing something more powerful. The ability to save a program to solve certain types of problems would offer a huge advantage not everyone else has.

Probably more of a concern is compromising exam security. Some of the concern with the unapproved calculators is the ability to transmit info. It couldn't be that hard to add that functionality to an approved calculator such that it appears to be unmodified. People might even go further and create the ability to store actual problems, either manually or optically. Not saying anybody would do any of this, but i can't believe scenarios like this haven't been discussed as NCEES.

 

[ROBIAMEIT]

NO KIDDING . . . there was a dude in one session who had this calculator with a HUGE display . . .like a kid would use . . . looked like he grabbed it from a Walmart three ring binder . . had nothin on the thing except ASMD . . . . . and the proctors wouldnt let him use it . . . . took it away . . . .

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^^^HAHAHAHA!!!! He deserved it, though.