3 replies to this topic

[DanielT]

Arithmetic capability:

HP 50g (OS 2.09 2006) still takes the lead.
It can compute 99999^999 and display every single digit without scientific notation.

Upgraded Ti-Nspire CAS (OS 1.7 2009) takes over Classpad and claims 2nd position.
It can compute 99999^198 without scientific notation.

Classpad (3.04) 99999^122

Ti-89 Titanium comes last with 500^228

There is a comprehensive CAS benchmark between the Ti-89 and HP 49g. I wonder if somebody would try those tests on the classpad.
Here is the link
http://www.ibiblio.o.../ti89vshp49.pdf

Edited by DanielT, 17 February 2010 - 05:20 AM.

[ASTRO491K]

I have been using calclulators for over 10 years and never had a need to calculate all those digits but I can see that if you are a bean counter working at a large bean processing facility that might be important. Perhaps a more important question for the typical user is which calculator is easiest to learn how to use? How would you rate those calculators then? For you that might not be important but for most calculator users it is or should be. Also, when it takes more than a few seconds to solve a problem using a calclulator, there are better alternatives to using a calculator and they, are spelled M-A-T-H-E-M-A-T-I-C-A or M-A-P-L-E. Also, because having the ability to see the intersection of two or three surfaces is important when setting up a multivariable calculus problem, which calculator excels in that capability?

Arithmetic capability:

HP 50g (OS 2.09 2006) still takes the lead.
It can compute 99999^999 and display every single digit without scientific notation.

Upgraded Ti-Nspire CAS (OS 1.7 2009) takes over Classpad and claims 2nd position.
It can compute 99999^198 without scientific notation.

Classpad (3.04) 99999^122

Ti-89 Titanium comes last with 500^228

There is a comprehensive CAS benchmark between the Ti-89 and HP 49g. I wonder if somebody would try those tests on the classpad.
Here is the link
http://www.ibiblio.o.../ti89vshp49.pdf

[supergems]

I have been using calclulators for over 10 years and never had a need to calculate all those digits but I can see that if you are a bean counter working at a large bean processing facility that might be important. Perhaps a more important question for the typical user is which calculator is easiest to learn how to use? How would you rate those calculators then? For you that might not be important but for most calculator users it is or should be.

Practically nobody is interested in calculating 99999^999. As for the HP 50g, we want to highlight the fact that the exact mode calculations are bound only by memory. Read this discussion http://groups.google...bb15b51d8fab5a3, after reading it do you still think that it is not important for a calculator to calculate big numbers? Even for a typical user?

Also, when it takes more than a few seconds to solve a problem using a calclulator, there are better alternatives to using a calculator and they, are spelled M-A-T-H-E-M-A-T-I-C-A or M-A-P-L-E.

MATHEMATICA or MAPLE? No thanks, I prefer XCAS, MAXIMA, AXIOM, SAGE... Free software is power!

Also, because having the ability to see the intersection of two or three surfaces is important when setting up a multivariable calculus problem, which calculator excels in that capability?

On this subject the ClassPad is the best .

Edited by supergems, 17 February 2010 - 09:51 AM.

[ASTRO491K]

Practically nobody is interested in calculating 99999^999. As for the HP 50g, we want to highlight the fact that the exact mode calculations are bound only by memory. Read this discussion http://groups.google...bb15b51d8fab5a3, after reading it do you still think that it is not important for a calculator to calculate big numbers? Even for a typical user?

Yes, that is correct. I suspect that less than 1/100th of one percent of the users, that is less than one in 10,000 will ever need to do a problem like that and for that special event there are better alternatives.

MATHEMATICA or MAPLE? No thanks, I prefer XCAS, MAXIMA, AXIOM, SAGE... Free software is power!

I thought Maxima and Axiom were discontinued. Am I wrong about that?

On this subject the ClassPad is the best .

I agree.