When my son said he needed a new graphing calculator for high school math, we did the research and settled on the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE. Here’s what it’s like to use the Lamborghini of calculators…
First off a disclaimer that I’ve never had to write before: I’m not a mathematician, I don’t play one on TV and I did my best to avoid math classes in college and grad school too. I understand basic math, but once you get to polar graphing, matrices and rotating formula around an axis to compute volume, I’m way out of my league. So reviewing the TI-84 Plus CE was an interesting experience with only a few flashbacks to college math classes.
Fortunately, the TI-84 is a workhorse of a calculator, one of the most popular calculators on the market. It’s incredibly well ranked on Amazon (4 1/2 stars with almost 200 reviews) and Texas Instruments basically owns the graphing calculator market segment too, muchly with different versions of the TI-84 as technology has continued to improve.
Even better, for high school and college students, the TI-84 Plus CE is approved for use during the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Advanced Placement (AP) test and related, as highlighted on the package:
You can also see that the calculator itself is, well, somewhat of a beast. It features 46 keys, just about all of which have three functions (standard, blue and green, as the blue and green keys denote), along with a lovely big color screen and even a cursor arrow cluster.
Here’s a close-up of some of the keys:
You can see that even the up and down arrow keys have triple duty!
To start, I confirmed that you can add 1+1, but with its modern calculator design, the keystroke sequence is [1] [+] [1] [enter]. There’s no equals sign. Not quite as confusing as the RPN of HP calculators, but if you’re looking for a basic four-function calculator with some smarts, this is not your ‘droid. This is way more powerful (and complicated) than that.
What it does really, really well is graph equations. So I entered an equation:
By pushing the [trace] button along the top it was quickly and efficiently plotted:
I could also accomplish this with the [graph] function, but [trace] has the nice bonus of letting you use the arrows to step through values and see the x,y values along the line as you move. Very useful for identifying inflection points, for example.
Emboldened by this, I tried a more complex polar graph using a slightly more abstruse formula:
The results are quite pretty, actually:
Look really closely on the top right and you’ll see a tiny yellow circle adjacent to the battery. That’s because it’s still plotting values – I set the “q” to 99 accidentally, when it only takes about 40 points to define this flower!
It also highlights something else worth mentioning: the TI-84 Plus CE is a rechargeable calculator that never needs batteries. Just plug it in via the included Mini-USB cable and it’ll quickly charge enough for weeks of use, either into a wall plug or any other handy USB connector (like a computer or car charger).
To be completely fair, the Ti-84 Plus CE is more of a computer than a calculator, just a computer that’s specialized for mathematics, statistics, and the like. It even has an app store through Texas Instruments where you can download apps for specific functionality, particularly in statistics. I think the pocket protector is included for free!
It’s also a big calculator, as is immediately obvious when I put my Apple iPhone 6 next to it:
As you can see, it rather dwarfs the iPhone with its almost 8-inch height. Fortunately it’s very slim and very light so it’s easy to toss into a backpack or briefcase as needed, and the included plastic cover means it’ll survive the jostling and banging without a scratch or ding.
And that’s a good thing, because the TI-84 Plus CE isn’t cheap. When you can get a four function calculator for a few bucks at the local convenience store and already have a capable scientific calculator on your smartphone, it runs about $115, depending on color. Yes, color. Lots of colors.
The biggest challenge with this amazing graphing calculator is that it’s so darn complicated. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to graph even the most simple of equations, I can only imagine the learning curve for statistics and chemistry calculations. Here’s a hint of its sophistication, the [modes] screen:
It’s also the very first calculator I’ve ever owned that kept track of the time and date too (and you can see I haven’t set it correctly yet either).
Still, if you have need for it, the TI-84 Plus CE is a beautiful calculator with power and capabilities to blow away even the most sophisticated math student or graduate, in a quite reasonably priced package. The fact that it’s okay to use on the SAT, ACT, AP test and related is just a nice bonus. And there’s one more benefit from a parent’s perspective when compared to a device like a smartphone with a graphing calculator app: The TI-84 is a one-function device, so when your child is doing their schoolwork, they can’t be distracted by the rest of the Internet.
Now to see what my 15yo son can do with it, as he’s a wizard with technology! To start, I’m going to point him to the 84 Activity Center which features lots of great tutorials and fun activities designed specifically to help you master the amazing TI-84 Plus CE.
Disclaimer: Texas Instruments sent us a TI-84 Plus CE for the purposes of this review.
I bought a CE a few weeks ago and I am about ready to throw it into Tampa Bay. Now I carry both the CE and the Silver with me. Why look like a fool when I go into class and tests with 2 calculators? It’s because the CE removed the ability to answer questions automatically in fraction format. Here’s an example. On the CE type in the fraction 2/3. It will convert to the decimal .6666666667. Awesome. Now – try to convert that back into a fraction. You can’t. You can’t until the end of time.
So, tell me, how awesome is that? To have all of your answers in decimal format where you might or most likely will not be able to convert back into a logical and recognizable value? Calculating function graph intercepts and values in Calculus are also real fun when 2 decimal points are dropped from the x values displayed as decimals that I will never be able to convert into a fraction on this device.
This calculator should come with a crystal ball to help me guess. What makes it a real party favor is the fact that Pearson Edu Math applications require all the answers on homework, quizzes, tests, midterms and finals to be entered as fractions! This thing is an overpriced piece of useless junk.
Sure it has pretty color and a lot of features – but the basics, the basic taken for granted things you depend on to work are not there. That makes the CE undependable. I chalk it up to lazy programming which was most likely outsourced to save a few bucks.
We get it. You hate this calculator. You don’t have to copy and paste this same exact review to multiple websites. And also, if you were actually smart and knew how to use a graphing calculator, you would know that this can be fixed with three taps into the calculator and then you have your fraction back.
Actually, not true. I tutor and love the using the TI-84 Plus CE. To keep a fraction as a fraction, hit the alpha, y=, and then 1. You can now put in a fraction and use it for computations and it will remain a fraction. It will even simplify the fraction for you.
The math nerd fights are amazing!