14 replies to this topic

[Bac0n]

Hey everyone! I'm relatively new to this forum...

I'm currently in year 10 Victoria, Australia (year 11, 2006)...

Next year my school will be converting its Mathematics course to the new CAS

So I'm pretty much going to be needing a new CAS capable calculator, but i seriously dont know which one to get.

Atm, I'm thinking
1st PREF = ClassPad 300 PLUS
2nd PREF = Ti 89 Titanium

The calculator will need to be able to do these types of questions
http://www.vcaa.vic....t/casexams.html
*Just check out one of the past exam papers*

OMG I am so confused?!.... Is there an actual new model ClassPad 300 --> ClassPad 300PLUS?
http://classpad.net/product/

So which calculator should I got with?

Bac0n

[PAP]

The calculator will need to be able to do these types of questions
http://www.vcaa.vic....t/casexams.html
*Just check out one of the past exam papers*

Well, as far as ClassPad is concerned, most of the questions in the past exam paper "04mmcasexam1.pdf" can be solved rather easily, altough ClassPad's CAS is not very powerful. To get an idea, I give you the solution to some questions, as computed by ClassPad, and some questions that cannot be solved with usual CAS functions:

Question 2: By typing something like:

solve(integ(3x^2,x,0,a)=0.125,a)

you get a=0.5, so the correct answer is C. You can also solve this problem graphically. Note, however, that if you define f(x) as a piecewise function, you will get into trouble: The most general solution is

solve(integ(piecewise(0<x<1,3x^2,0),x,-infinity,a)=0.125,a)

but ClassPad cannot solve this.

Question 5: You can easily solve this by typing:

NormCD 15,infinity,1.4,12.2
DispStat

This shows that the correct answer is B. ClassPad has a fairly large set of statistical capabilities. They are, however, implemented as commands (not functions), which is not very convenient (in this example, "NormCD" is a command which computes cumulative normal distribution, and "DispStat" displays the results). Nevertheless, it works very well.

Question 7: Easily solved graphically. You plot the given function from x=0 to 25, then you ask for minimum locations (ClassPad has very powerful graphical solvers). You see that the first minumum after x=0 is x=12.5, so the correct answer is C. You can also see that answer E is the time of second low tide. This question can also be solved without any graph, by typing

fMin(7-2 sin(4 pi t/25+pi/2),t,0,25)

("fMin" is a CAS minimum value locator).

Question 8: Normally, one may think to use the "solve" function here, but it is not so powerful. However, by typing

fMin(abs(cos(x/2)-sqrt(3)/2),x,0,4 pi)

you see that the roots are pi/3 and 11pi/3, so the correct answer is D.

Question 9: Factoring is done by

factor(a x^3 - b x)|{a>0,b>0}

Here, the operator "|" tells ClassPad about the constraints a>0,b>0. However, this doesn't give the correct answer (E). ClassPad doesn't return a comletely factored expression. Furthermore,

factor(5 x^3 - 4 x)

doesn't use square roots for factoring, but

factor(9 x^3 - 4 x)

factors out the expression completely, since sqrt(9) and sqrt(4) are integers.

Question 19: The obvious way to proceed is

diff(abs(sin(x)),x)

but ClassPad left this expression unevaluated. However, the problem can be easily solved by typing

diff(piecewise(sin(x)>0,sin(x),-sin(x)),x)

You can see that the correct answer is A.

Question 20: Easily solved by

Define N(t)=1000*exp(t/10)
approx(integ(N(t),t,0,10)/10)

This gives 1718.281828, so the correct answer is D. Note that symbolic integration in ClassPad is not very powerful, but numerical integration has passed several difficult tests succesfully.

Question 27: The answer is obvious (A), but ClassPad fails to solve it with

integ(4-2f(x),x,a,b)|integ(f(x),x,a,b)=3

It's pretty easy to answer this question without a CAS, though.

I hope that the above examples will be useful to you. If you need to know if (and how) a particular exam question can be solved in ClassPad, I think I can help you.

So which calculator should I got with?

Well, that's your decision. Rumors say that TI89 has a more powerful CAS, but I'm not sure, I don't have this calc. I'm sure, however, that many TI owners will claim that TI89 or V200 is perfect .
If you are interested on programming, be aware that ClassPad has a built-in basic language, which is poor. However, there is an Add-In which implements a powerful programming language.

[TacoFred]

I own both a CP300 and a TI-89 Titanium, and I have come to realize that the 89 is much more easier to use, but the CP has much more efficient graphics (faster, more options, though the CP doesn't draw slope fields while the 89 does). (CP has a 20Mhz processor and the 89 has a 12Mhz processor) The CASs in both calculators are imperfect, and, in my opinion, if you want a more powerful CAS, get ready to carry your laptop with you (though you probably can't use it during a test), because they are, in essence, of equal power.

Edited by TacoFred, 16 November 2005 - 03:32 AM.

[PAP]

The CASs in both calculators are imperfect, and, in my opinion, if you want a more powerful CAS, get ready to carry your laptop with you (though you probably can't use it during a test), because they are, in essence, of equal power.

Some users in the topic "Difficlt CAS problems in ClassPad" reported powerful V200 CAS performance in specific problems. But you know better than me, you have both calcs.
In general, we can say this: if someone wants a "Portable Mathematica" he will be dissapointed by any CAS calculator. Mathematica, or Maple, or MuPAD are much more powerful. But even this rule has exceptions as well. For example, to the best of my knowledge, there is no Mathematica equivalent for the powerful ClassPad function fMin.

PS: I also like StarCraft, it's an all-time classic. And I always play as Zerg .

[SoftCalc]

I own both a CP300 and a TI-89 Titanium, and I have come to realize that the 89 is much more easier to use, but the CP has much more efficient graphics (faster, more options, though the CP doesn't draw slope fields while the 89 does). (CP has a 20Mhz processor and the 89 has a 12Mhz processor) The CASs in both calculators are imperfect, and, in my opinion, if you want a more powerful CAS, get ready to carry your laptop with you (though you probably can't use it during a test), because they are, in essence, of equal power.

So what is it about the TI-89 that makes it easier to use?

I know this is off topic, but I find the advertisement at the bottom of this thread a bit humorous. At the time of this posting it's an ad selling TI calculators....on a Casio forum.

Yes, I know the ad is automatically generated by Google and it's just using the text on the page to decide what to advertise. Maybe I should even the odds....

Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator. I wonder if this will change the election of ads.

BTW, How does the forum get paid for these ads? Is it a pay-for-click?

[2072]

yes it is, it's Google adsense.

[PAP]

Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator. I wonder if this will change the election of ads.

I think I can give a hand on this:
Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator, Casio calculator.

Hmmm, no ad change...

[TacoFred]

To be concise:
TIs - "typical" American style: power, ease of use, nice big size(....?)
Casio - Japanese: compact, little more sophisticated to use, better software
well, this is my opinion on the two companies

[SoftCalc]

To be concise:
TIs - "typical" American style: power, ease of use, nice big size(....?)
Casio - Japanese: compact, little more sophisticated to use, better software
well, this is my opinion on the two companies

What makes the TI easier for you to use, or what do you find more difficult to do on the ClassPad. Could you give any specific examples? Do you have any suggestions?

Who knows. Your input could help improve he ClassPad design.

[TacoFred]

i have no problem using the classpad (except for the stat stuff not being functions >) but my friends who occasionally use my CP seem to think that the TI is more simpler....

[SoftCalc]

i have no problem using the classpad (except for the stat stuff not being functions >) but my friends who occasionally use my CP seem to think that the TI is more simpler....

Thanks. Let me know if you hear or think of anything that would make the ClassPad easier to use. Of course the ClassPad suggestion topic is really the best place for this thing

[Bac0n]

Hrmmm, yes, I'd also like to know if the Classpad 300 PLUS is avaliable in Australia?

Does anyone know if it is, or when it will be?

Bac0n

[casiokingdom]

Visit http://www.casioed.n...ts/classpad.htm

You'll find all of the info about Classpads in Australia here.