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Customer Review
- Reviewed in Canada on January 25, 2014This is the best scientific calculator that I've ever used. It provides a lot of the functionality of the Ti-84 graphing calculator for a small fraction of the price. There are few other calculators on the market that provide comparable functionality - namely the Casio FX-991ES/FX-115ES and the Sharp ELW516XBSL. However this calculator is the best of the group.
What sets this calculator apart from the pack is its ease of use and excellent usability. You don't need to read the manual to figure out how to use it, and its features are very usable.
Examples:
Big, High Resolution Display: All the three high end scientific calculators (this, the casio, and the sharp) have pixel grid displays and can show expressions in their written mathematical form. However this calculator's 4 line display can show more on the screen than any of the other calculators. This makes long calculations easier, makes matrix entry much more usable, data tables more usable, and data entry for statistics much easier. Unique (in this class) capabilities of this display include:
- See up to 4 expressions and results at a time. The calculator puts the result on the same line as the expression when it fits comfortably. The Casio and Sharp only let you see one calculation at a time, and you must scroll back to see previous calculations.
- 3x4 augmented matrix entry (for a 3 variable linear system) where the entire matrix can be seen at once. On the Casio, you have to enter larger matrices one line at a time, and on the Sharp you can only enter one coefficient at a time.
- 4 row * 3 column data entry for statistics: you can see 4 rows of 3 column data at a time, plus a data entry line below. On the Casio, you can only enter X and Y values rather than having 3 arbitrary lists, and the display can only show 3 rows of 2 column data at a time. The Sharp is also limited to 2 variable XY pairs, and as a further limitation you can only enter/view one XY record at a time.
Thanks to the better display and better display use, the Ti-36X Pro is by far the most capable of the pack.
No Complicated Mode Switching: In the Casio/Sharp sense of modes, the TI-36X Pro has only one mode. It can do everything in that mode. There is no separate mode for integration, statistics, data entry, solving systems of different types, etc. When working under time constraints, switching between modes and navigating elaborate nested menus wastes time and breaks one's chain of thought. Losing all calculation history on a Casio/Sharp when switching modes doesn't help either. On the TI-36X Pro, just press one button to do what you want without switching mode. Want to enter data for stats? Just press the DATA button and start entering data into the table. Want to jump to solving a cubic equation? Just press poly-solve and solve your polynomial. Want to jump back into your stats? Press DATA and you'll be back with all your old data intact. Once you're done with your stats, press CLEAR and you'll be back at the regular calculator window with your calculation history and saved variables just as you left them.
Numerical Integration, Numerical Differentiation, Series Summation, and Sequence Product: All these features are quick, accurate, and need no explanation to use. Note that the numerical integration algorithm used here is faster and more accurate than the Simpson's Rule used on the Sharp. The sequence product is a handy feature that you don't see on other calculators.
Overall, this is a fantastic calculator. I do recommend reading the manual though. This calculator has a ton of handy features that you probably aren't aware of.
With that said, I have a few minor criticisms:
- The 2x2 system solver shows the AX + BY = C form rather than a 2x2 matrix. This may be more beginner friendly, but its annoying to have to press enter twice to move between variables. You need to press enter twice because it lets you change the sign between AX and BY from + to - and back. This is a useless feature that slows down operation. A regular 2x3 (2x2) augmented matrix (as used by the 3x3 solver) would be more efficient.
- You need to press the up button twice and then press enter to edit the previous expression. On the Casio, you only need to press up once and then start editing right away
Notwithstanding these minor criticisms, I recommend this calculator whole heartedly. It's a must have for Engineers and Scientists.
