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anon · 07-02-2008, 05:17 AM

A non-Economics query this.

I am starting my MA program this fall and its the first time I will be studying in the US. I was planning to buy a new calculator from India (my home country) however I am not sure which model to buy.

In India most programs insist on a scientific calculator only and this is the best of the lot which we can use -http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-FX-991MS-Calculator/dp/B00009WHFI

Could you give some suggestion on the model which would be acceptable for the program and also be comfortable?

Thanks in advance.

asianeconomist · 07-02-2008, 07:58 AM

I really don't think that the "specific" type of calculator is awfully important.

You should be more attentive to the brand of Laptop, IMHO.

TruDog · 07-02-2008, 10:33 AM

I never used a calculator during my first year. (Heck, I never even unpacked it after moving to Madison.) The math you need includes solving tedious algebraic equations, calculating first order conditions, or doing formal proofs.

As asianeconomist said, the type of laptop is much more important.

jeeves0923 · 07-02-2008, 11:36 AM

I haven't used a calculator since my sophomore year of undergrad, and I'm now a math grad student...

I guess to properly answer your question, Mathematica is the best calculating software in my opinion.

anon · 07-02-2008, 12:17 PM

I have SAS on my laptop (DELL 610 - using it for 2 years now) and am quite comfortable with it

Thanks a lot for your replies, but I'll take one along anyway!

asianeconomist · 07-02-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anon

Thanks a lot for your replies, but I'll take one along anyway!

Then if budget is not a concern, just might consider a "graphical" calculator. Might just come in handy during a math class.

Smileysquared · 07-02-2008, 03:09 PM

Texas Instruments calculators are great. I have a scientific one, a financial calculator and a graphic calculator and they all work well. I will not recommend that you buy the graphic calculator because it can be programmed and as a result universities may prevent you from using them. In addition they are a bit expensive. A standard TI scientific calculator should be fine. I bought a Casio a few years ago but it did not last very long.

asianeconomist · 07-02-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smileysquared

the graphic calculator because it can be programmed and as a result universities may prevent you from using them.

Ha, ha. That's what I once tried to do during my high-school days and that nearly finished in a sub-optimal manner.

economicus · 07-02-2008, 03:26 PM

one of my friends has a calculator which can transform numbers like 0.3333 back into fraction 1/3, show chi-square distribution values and so on. It can help save some time during exams. Though, my calculator is now 10 years old and is still working (Sharp EL-546L

). But I hardly ever really needed more than + - x :

IrrationalActor · 07-02-2008, 06:17 PM

I'd go with a TI-89. Though I admit I rarely use a calculator anymore, a symbolic calculator like the TI 89 can come in handy to do expansions/factoring/basic algebra that I really should be able to do by hand

.

07-02-2008, 05:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
anon Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 17	Which Calculator type? A non-Economics query this. I am starting my MA program this fall and its the first time I will be studying in the US. I was planning to buy a new calculator from India (my home country) however I am not sure which model to buy. In India most programs insist on a scientific calculator only and this is the best of the lot which we can use -http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-FX-991MS-Calculator/dp/B00009WHFI Could you give some suggestion on the model which would be acceptable for the program and also be comfortable? Thanks in advance.

07-02-2008, 10:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
TruDog TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Midwest US Posts: 558	I never used a calculator during my first year. (Heck, I never even unpacked it after moving to Madison.) The math you need includes solving tedious algebraic equations, calculating first order conditions, or doing formal proofs. As asianeconomist said, the type of laptop is much more important. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ University of Wisconsin-Madison--2nd Year

07-02-2008, 03:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
economicus TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 657	one of my friends has a calculator which can transform numbers like 0.3333 back into fraction 1/3, show chi-square distribution values and so on. It can help save some time during exams. Though, my calculator is now 10 years old and is still working (Sharp EL-546L). But I hardly ever really needed more than + - x :

07-02-2008, 06:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
IrrationalActor Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 12	I'd go with a TI-89. Though I admit I rarely use a calculator anymore, a symbolic calculator like the TI 89 can come in handy to do expansions/factoring/basic algebra that I really should be able to do by hand.

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07-02-2008, 07:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
asianeconomist Loving the game Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 984	I really don't think that the "specific" type of calculator is awfully important. You should be more attentive to the brand of Laptop, IMHO.

07-02-2008, 11:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
jeeves0923 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 375	I haven't used a calculator since my sophomore year of undergrad, and I'm now a math grad student... I guess to properly answer your question, Mathematica is the best calculating software in my opinion.

07-02-2008, 12:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
anon Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 17	I have SAS on my laptop (DELL 610 - using it for 2 years now) and am quite comfortable with it Thanks a lot for your replies, but I'll take one along anyway!

07-02-2008, 03:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Smileysquared Life is too short....... Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 124	Texas Instruments calculators are great. I have a scientific one, a financial calculator and a graphic calculator and they all work well. I will not recommend that you buy the graphic calculator because it can be programmed and as a result universities may prevent you from using them. In addition they are a bit expensive. A standard TI scientific calculator should be fine. I bought a Casio a few years ago but it did not last very long.

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