How to Change the Batteries on Your TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus or TI-89

At some point while using your graphing calculator, you will turn on your calculator and be greeted with one of the following messages: Unlike in many portable electronics, changing your calculator’s batteries does not simply mean swapping them out. In …
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Filed under Difficulty: Easy, TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, TI-89, Voyage 200 | 22 Comments

Factoring Polynomials on the TI-89 and Voyage 200

The TI-89, TI-92 Plus, and Voyage 200 offer two built-in functions for easily factoring expressions and trinomials/polynomials into their component parts. This tutorial explains when to use these functions and how to use them to solve simple equations and polynomials.

Filed under Algebra, Difficulty: Easy, TI-89, TI-92 Plus, Voyage 200 | Leave a comment

SAT Test Prep #2: Power Rules of Exponents

While you will be able to use a graphing calculator on the SAT, sometimes it is faster to have mathematical rules memorized beforehand so you can quickly solve problems without trying to find the answer by trial and error with …
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Quick Tip: How to Clear Variables on the TI-89, TI-92 Plus, and Voyage 200

Sometimes, it is useful to store specific values in the letter variables (a-z) on your device, especially if you will be using that specific value over and over again. For example, you can store the value of Planck’s constant on …
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Filed under Difficulty: Easy, TI-89, TI-92 Plus, Voyage 200 | 1 Comment

Business and Finance Math #3: Converting Effective Interest Rates (EAR) to Stated Interest Rates

In our previous blog post we introduced the concept of the effective annual rate (EAR), which is the true interest rate when compounding occurs more than one time per year. For example, 10% compounded semiannually is the same thing as …
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Evaluating Limits on the TI-89, TI-92 Plus, and Voyage 200

The limit of a function is a fundamental calculus concept which is used in characterizing functions, calculating derivatives, and more. This tutorial discusses the theory of limits and how to evaluate limits, including left and right-handed limits, on your TI-89, …
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Business and Finance Math #2: Calculating the Effective Annual Rate (EAR) on Your TI BA II Plus or HP 12c

Consider the following problem: Timmy Burns plans to open a new bank account and calls several banks to find out where he can earn the most interest on his money. After talking with several banks, Timmy has three options. Which …
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Filed under Difficulty: Easy, Finance, HP 12c, TI BA II Plus | 2 Comments

SAT Test Prep #1: Mean, Mode, and Median on the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, and TI-89

The following is a sample SAT problem similar to many found on the actual exam: Nighttime Temperatures in Juneau, Alaska Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 32 28 28 26 21 22 25 The table above shows the temperatures, …
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Filed under Difficulty: Easy, SAT, Statistics, Test Prep, TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, TI-89 | 5 Comments

Calculating Derivatives on the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, TI-89, TI-92 Plus, and Voyage 200

Derivatives are perhaps the most elementary topic in calculus and show up in practically every discipline, from the natural and social sciences to economics and finance. This tutorial discusses the mathematical background of derivatives and demonstrates how to evaluate derivatives …
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Filed under Calculus, Difficulty: Easy, TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, TI-89, TI-92 Plus, Voyage 200 | 1 Comment

Riemann Sum Program for the TI-83+ and TI-84+

RIEMANN, a program for the TI-83+ and TI-84+, approximates the area under a curve (integral) by calculating a Riemann sum, a sum of areas of simple geometric figures intersecting the curve. The program solves Riemann sums using one of four …
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Filed under Calculus, Difficulty: Easy, TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus | 6 Comments