A good all-round basic calculator

The TI-30X is the standard calculator used in most science classes at the University of Ottawa, where I am a student. Even though students in my engineering classes mostly use TI-86 and TI-89 models, I have used the TI-30X in some instances where programmable calculators were no allowed.

I have had to use one in some situations, and here are my impressions:


The REALLY GOOD:

-Low price. This is particularly useful for a student on a budget.

=Sturdy. Mine has been thrown around and abused a lot, and it's still going fine.

-THE GOOD:

-As opposed to competing calculators, the TI-30 has a well laid out keyboard with sufficiently large keys to be easy to use. The functions are well laid out the calculator is fairly easy to use.

-The instruction sheet.It comes with better-than-average instructions for a low-cost calculator, and covers all the basic functions of the calculator.

-The display is easily readable and exponents are well displayed, which is not always the case for one-line displays.

-Long battery life. Even though the one I have is not solar powered, battery life appears to be excellent to the point where it will not need to be replaced for the useful life of the calculator.

The NOT-SO-GOOD:

-Lack of certain functions:

-The Ti-30 is meant to be a basic scientific calculator only, and for any advanced work in Calculus or Engineering classes, you'll find that many useful functions are not present on this calculator, such as polynomial roots, simultaneous equations. But you wouldn't find those functions on any calculator within the price range either.


THE REALLY BAD:

-Nothing to report here.


I would recommend this calculator for students in middle school learning basic geometry, trigonometry and algebra. In later stages of high school, a graphing calculator like the TI-83 would be more useful though. And I would heartily recommend the TI-89 to college and university students in technical disciplines.