*A note about Graphing Calculators Students will be using graphing calculators throughout the entire year. These calculators will often be used to help students see patterns/changes in the different functions that we will be studying and therefore need graphing and statistical capabilities. Students without a graphing calculator will be at a great disadvantage when working on classwork and homework. We know these are an investment, however your child will be able to use the calculator in his/her Math courses next year and after graduation.
A Comparison Chart provided by the Texas Instruments website is linked here for your information. It provides a good comparison of the different features of each calculator's capabilities and features. Disregard the section where they align the calculators to certain courses. Any TI-83 or TI-84 calculator is sufficient for all our high school math courses at GLHS.
In addition to the retail stores, Gadget Ease in Dublin, Ohio often has a large inventory of used TI’s around this time of year for a good price (call before going to check their inventory). We have also found that eBay, Plato’s Closet, New Uses, thrift stores, high school graduates, and family members who’ve graduated college have also been good sources for purchasing, or borrowing, these graphing calculators.
CAUTION: Many well-meaning family members have purchased other brand name calculators or other versions of TI calculators hoping that they would be just enough to get their child through the year. Often the calculators do not have the features required to help the child understand the topics or the keystroke patterns are so different from the ones used in class that simply working the calculator becomes the focus rather than the mathematics to be learned. PLEASE PURCHASE CALCULATORS ONLY IN THE TI-83 OR TI-84 FAMILIES OF CALCULATORS.