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Courses and Calculators
Most math and physics courses at WTCC use technology regularly. Some require a basic scientific calculator and others may require a specific TI graphing calculator. Please refer to the course syllabus before purchasing a calculator as updates may occur between semesters.
MAT 110 – Mathematical Measurements
MAT 115 - Mathematical Modeling
Calculator Recommended: Scientific calculator (no need to purchase an expensive calculator)
Spreadsheets: The use of spreadsheets will be emphasized over the use of calculators. Students will be required to use Excel for some assignments and labs.
Students will need to perform calculations daily: either mentally, with a calculator, or with a spreadsheet.
Students who need to purchase a calculator might want to go with the TI 30X IIS unless another, more advanced calculator would be beneficial in their major course of study. |
MAT 161 - College Algebra
MAT 165 - Finite Mathematics
Calculator Recommended: Minimum requirement: TI-83+Silver (or equivalent)
What to buy if you don't have a graphing handheld: TI 84+Silver
Calculator Permitted: TI 83, TI 84+Silver
Calculator skills required include using the STAT functions to analyze data and the GRAPH function to plot functions.
Spreadsheets: Instructors will use Excel in class, demonstrating the skills that will be required of students. Students will be required
to use Excel. Spreadsheet skills required include constructing a table of values (entering formulas and using fill and copy), graphing a table of values (scatterplot) and using regression to find models (trendline). |
MAT 121/122 - Algebra Trig
Calculator Recommended: TI 83+
What to buy if you don't have a graphing handheld: TI 84+ Silver
Calculator Permitted: TI 83+ Silver, TI 84+ Silver, TI 84, TI 86
If you own the 84 or 84+ you will be able to use those for most of what is required. APPS will be downloaded for the TI+Silver.
Spreadsheets: MAT 121 will be taught in a computer lab where each student (or pair of students) will have access to Excel on the PC. Instructors will use Excel in the classroom and students will be required to use Excel for some assigned labs.
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MAT 171/172 - Precalculus
Calculator Recommended: TI 89 Titanium
What to buy if you don't have a graphing handheld: TI 89 Titanium
Calculator Permitted: TI 86
Spreadsheets: Instructors will use Excel in the classroom and students will be required
to use Excel for some assigned labs. |
MAT 271/272/273 - Calculus
Calculator Recommended: TI 89
What to buy if you don't have a graphing handheld: TI 89Titanium
Calculator Permitted: TI 89
Spreadsheets: Instructors may use Excel in the classroom and students will be
required to use Excel for some assigned labs |
MAT 140 - Survey of Mathematics
Calculator Recommended: TI 83+Silver
What to buy if you don't have a graphing handheld: TI 84+Silver
Calculator Permitted: TI 83, TI 84+Silver, TI 86
Texas Instruments has released the TI 84 to replace the TI 83. Students may use either in class,
but the instructors will be using a TI 83+Silver or TI 86 for the time being (until we can purchase enough of the TI 84+Silver for faculty).
Spreadsheets: Instructors will use Excel in the classroom and students will
be required to use Excel for several assigned labs. |
PHY 121 - Applied Physics
Calculator Recommended: Scientific (no need to purchase an expensive calculator)
There will be a need to perform some calculations in class. Faculty will use the TI 30X IIS for demonstrations. |
MAT 151 / MAT 155 - Statistics
Calculator Recommended: None Required
Spreadsheets: These courses are taught in a computer lab so that each student will have access to a PC and EXCEL.
Students will use Excel and other statistical software as a tool for this course. |
PHY 131/151
PHY 251/252
Calculator Recommended: A graphics calculator with capabilities equivalent to the TI-84+ is required for the course. The student will be responsible for learning to use his or her calculator. Students will also be required to use a spreadsheet for laboratory analysis (EXCEL). |
| Calculators: |
TI 83
The TI 83 has been around for many years and used extensively in high school replacing the original TI 81 and TI 82. It has a great many features including lists. It was updated with the TI 83+ (2001) and then the TI 83+ Silver Edition. The latter has much more memory and is much faster. APPS, software that allows the calculator to perform a certain feature, were first introduced with the TI 83+ Silver Edition. However, the new TI 84+ Silver Edition is out with more memory, more speed, and more functions. |
TI 84+ Silver Edition
The TI 84+Silver 2003) has a great deal of memory and can store several APPS which come with the calculator. It is more powerful and faster than the 83+. There are still some commands it doesn't have that the TI 86 does have. That is why the 86 is used in M121/2 and in M171/2. |
TI 92
The TI 92 was suppose to be the ultimate calculator, doing symbolic manipulation, and much more! However, it really never caught on (my opinion). The 92 is now discontinued and is replaced by the TI 89. |
TI 86
The TI 86 (1997) replaced the TI 85. The 86 is geared more for college work in calculus and physics than is the 83 or 84+. TI continues to carry the TI 86, even though they believed the TI 89 would "replace" it because the TI 86 has so many features the other calculators don't have. |
TI 89
The TI 89 (1999) is a cross between the TI 83/84 and the TI 92. It is suppose to be more user friendly and is now allowed on the college boards. This calculator is designed to provide the calculus student with the tools they will need. |
TI-89 Titanium
TI's most powerful calculator, with approx. 4x the flash ROM of the TI-89. It has an iconolized desktop and is preloaded with several APPs, and comes with USB Port/Cable/Computer Connectivity that the TI-89 does not have. |
TI 30X IIS
The 30X is a 2-line display scientific calculator that combines statistics and advanced scientific functions and is a durable and affordable calculator for the classroom. |
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