Calculator for electrical engineering student

Edwards Finance > Electrical Engineering

Q. I'm starting back to school this fall for a degree in EE and I'm wondering what calc the majority of you prefer, used as student, or use in your daily work. I currently have a Ti-85 which has served me well for many years, but after doing a little checking, it seems that it's way outdated compaired to what high end calcs can do today. I'll be starting in Calc 2 this fall and a clac based physics course to give you an idea of what my immedite needs are. Money isn't much of an issue, I'm set finacually for the fall and I can pretty much get as much OT as I need between now an then.

A. -There wasn't any need for a calculator in any calc course I took. Most of the physics/chemistry problems had "tidy" answers, though that was when my "calculator" was two pieces of slippery wood. My senior year I bought an HP-45 and I've been an RPN type ever since. My answer (for an EE anyway): HP-33s or HP-48/9 if you want graphics. http://www.hp.com/calculators/ -I really like my HP48GX. However, they are no longer made. Currently, HP makes the 49G+. It has amazing CAS capabilities, has flash rom (for updates), a card slot for memory storage, etc. Keep in mind that all of the highend calculators (including your TI85) are no longer allowed on the FE and PE (engineering licensing exams). HP has come out with a new calculator that is approved, the 33S. It is a pretty good calc but does not do any symbolic algeabra or calculas (CAS). It is only a number cruncher. I never used the limited CAS capabilities of my 48, so that limitation does not bother me. What does bother me with the 33S is the lack of matrix support. The 48, and now 49G+ supports calculations with matrices (including complex matrices) which can be very handy in some EE classes (particularly power classes). Thats the HP story as I see it. You will have to find someone else to discuss TI. I haven't used an algebraic calculator since 1987 when I bought my first HP. I converted to RPN in about a week and never looked back.

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