A calculator is one of the most important school supplies. This is especially true if your child is already in high school. Whether it's for algebra, geometry or trigonometry, a high school calculator will affect your child's math grades. Texas Instruments, Casio, HP or others, this guide to the best high school calculators will help you find the right one for your teen.
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Our selection
"This is the color version of the world's best-selling graphing calculator, the TI-84 Plus. It is recommended by many math teachers."
"This calculator has received excellent reviews and high ratings, and for good reason. It benefits from high accuracy and a high-resolution black and white display."
"HP remains little known when it comes to calculators for high school. But that should change with the HP 50G. Without doubt one of the…"
"This high school calculator is the most popular and also the oldest. The design and finish quality seem outdated, but the accessibility, simplicity and performance…"
This is the color version of the world's best-selling graphing calculator, the TI-84 Plus. It is recommended by many math teachers.
See priceThe TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator comes preloaded with a dozen applications such as graphing inequalities, correct mathematical notation and data collection, and of course has a radian/degree mode and handles non-real and real numbers. The slim and light appearance is enhanced by a high resolution color backlit display. The color screen greatly improves plotting and display. This TI-83 Plus CE is very suitable for beginners, being very user-friendly. It is powered by 4 AAA batteries.
This calculator has received excellent reviews and high ratings, and for good reason. It benefits from high accuracy and a high-resolution black and white display.
See priceThe Casio ClassWiz fx-991EX has one of the best screens among scientific calculators. It has about 4 times more pixels than the Texas Instruments models, and that's with the same screen size. Given the space on the screen, the numbers are easy to read. The Casio FX-991EX has 12 different applications that take it far beyond what you would expect from a high school calculator. One of the best features remains its ability to give answers in exact form. This means that if you type in an expression with fractional radicals or both, you will get an exact answer in the simplest form.
HP remains little known when it comes to calculators for high school. But that should change with the HP 50G. Without doubt one of the most powerful and accurate high school calculators.
See priceThere's a lot to like about the HP 50G, starting with the operating system. Aside from the buttons for numbers and operations, most buttons will display a modern on-screen context menu or a discrete set of selections accessible with the F1-F6 buttons. The other great feature of this model is the ability to write in Reverse Polish Notation or RPN. This gives users the ability to enter their calculations in a different way, often more efficient for long calculations (for example, "3 + 4" becomes "3 4 +"). HP is the only manufacturer to include this feature in its graphing calculators.
This high school calculator is the most popular and also the oldest. The design and finish quality seem outdated, but the accessibility, simplicity and performance are still top notch.
See priceThe TI-84 Plus graphing calculator has all the essential functions to meet graphing needs. It does not have a color screen, but the display is still excellent. Users can easily access advanced functions by scrolling through the menus. We like the horizontal and vertical split-screen options, allowing users to view essential information without having to scroll . Good to know, the TI-84 Plus has been approved by standardized testing agencies for use on national exams. It uses 4 AAA batteries as well as a lithium backup battery, which protects the RAM.
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The best high school calculator in 2021
The best entry-level high school calculator
The best high-end high school calculator
The best-selling high school calculator
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OUR SELECTION |
Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE
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Casio FX-991EX
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HP 50G
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Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus
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This is the color version of the world's best-selling graphing calculator, the TI-84 Plus. It is recommended by many math teachers.
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This calculator has received excellent reviews and high ratings, and for good reason. It benefits from high accuracy and a high-resolution black and white display.
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HP remains little known when it comes to calculators for high school. But that should change with the HP 50G. Without doubt one of the most powerful and accurate high school calculators.
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This high school calculator is the most popular and also the oldest. The design and finish quality seem outdated, but the accessibility, simplicity and performance are still top notch.
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Excellent value for money
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Exact form response
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RPN input
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Split display
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Easy to use
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12 applications
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Expandable memory
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Lithium backup battery to protect RAM
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High resolution color display
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High resolution monochrome display
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Very advanced features
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EasyData analysis function
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The buttons on a graphing calculator for high school usually have at least two functions. For example, the COS button also contains the COS-1 function. You must press a SHIFT key or some other button to access the second function on the same button. If a high school calculator has too many extra functions, it can create a cluttered and confusing reading area. You should look at a variety of models to select the unit that best meets your needs. Favor models that offer two, or at most three, levels of function.
One of the key elements when choosing a calculator for high school is the display capabilities, or the type of graphs the calculator can display. A high school student may not need the same display capabilities as an engineer. You should also consider the calculator's ability to download applications and programs. If a calculator has this capability, it allows the calculator to progress as the user progresses.
The display is based solely on preference. All monochrome displays work essentially the same way. However, with graphing calculators, you can choose a larger screen or even a colored screen. The choice depends on your child's needs and desires.
Most high school calculators require batteries or battery power to operate. The best choice then would be to choose a rechargeable model if your child plans to use the calculator extensively.
Some of you may be asking what a high school calculator is. Well, to make a long story short, it's a graphing calculator. It is essentially a device designed to help you visually understand math calculations and concepts.
The primary function of a graphing calculator is to solve various equations simultaneously. The results of these equations are then plotted on a graph that is displayed on the calculator's single screen. When you look at any brand of graphing calculator, you will immediately notice that this single screen is much larger than any other calculator.
A graphing calculator is also equipped with a wide range of buttons, functions and programs to perform a multitude of tasks that calculators should not be able to do. The most basic models will have fairly limited functions, but there are also more expensive models with advanced features. These features are useful when you are trying to work with quadratic, polynomial and linear functions.
You can also use a graphing calculator to determine points of intersection, parabolas, cubic functions, graphing lines and a variety of other mathematical problems. If you're working with precise numbers that involve a lot of numbers and scientific notation, you can manipulate algebraic equations using brackets and answers stored on the calculator's visual graphic display.
A scientific calculator can perform a variety of complex calculations. These calculations include trigonometry functions such as sine, tangent and cosine and their inverse functions.
A scientific calculator can also handle logarithms and exponentiation calculations. These are the basic features for high school students. While most models consist of a single-line display similar to basic calculators, some have 10 to 12 digits with extra digits for floating-point arithmetic.
Typically, high-end scientific calculators offer Boolean calculations, hexadecimal calculations, fractions and probability calculations, complex numbers, physical constants, unit conversion, calculus and matrix calculations.
However, a graphing calculator is much more complex and offers a huge advantage over simple scientific calculators. When solving complicated functions like calculus, you will need a graphing calculator. This ability is invaluable in various types of math problems.
Graphing calculators are extremely useful in physics, engineering, statistics and some areas of applied biology. If a problem requires different steps, large numbers, decimal values, etc., you will need a calculator that can record various calculations.
A graphing calculator needs a large screen to present a visual representation of the problem. Overall, graphing calculators are more sophisticated and offer more calculation capabilities.
A graphing calculator can be used to solve any mathematical problem. It can perform all the basic calculations and a variety of more complex problems. It is therefore more complete and can be used by the high school student during the three years of high school, especially if he or she is taking a science course. A simple scientific calculator will suffice for high school students in 10th grade or who will only be doing basic math throughout high school.
Do not skimp on the means
A good graphing calculator should be considered a long-term investment. Choose wisely and the calculator will serve your child well throughout high school and beyond. While new models come on the market from time to time, the basic functions of calculators remain the same, which means your child can also pass the device on to his or her little sister or brother to reinvest in a new calculator.
Choose a graphing calculator with Wi-Fi
Some
high-end calculators have Wi-Fi connectivity so that data from other scientific devices such as weather gauges, decibels, photometers, electronic thermometers, etc. can be evaluated
.
Use the memory function to solve logarithms
Another reason you might want to consider using a graphing calculator for logarithms is that it has built-in memory, which allows you to store some equations. If you're working on something that requires multiple sessions, you can have your calculator store what you've already entered into the device. This makes it easier to return if you need to take a break or want to try a different combination.
Make sure the calculator has sine, cosine and tangent functions
Like
logarithms, calculating sine, cosine, and tangent on paper takes some time. With high school calculators, you can get the answer almost immediately once you enter the function correctly. Look for the sin, cos and tan buttons on any calculator to make sure it includes these functions.
The best calculator for high school depends on your needs and budget. Read our buying guide to find the best products out there.
Similar to the way you enter equations into your calculator to calculate notations, tangents, and sines, the vast majority of graphing calculators for high school can solve binary functions. These equations require two inputs.
A scientific calculator has the ability to perform calculations that are a little more complex than simple division, multiplication, subtraction and addition. You can perform functions, such as trig, exponents and logarithms. On the other hand, with a graphing calculator you can enter a function and see a graph of it in the display screen. In addition, the graphing calculator can solve integral and matrix calculations, which is not possible with a scientific calculator.
Your child doesn't need the most sophisticated model to be successful, but there have been significant advances with graphing calculators in recent years. These include Wi-Fi and the ability to share calculations with classmates or the instructor.
Often, finding the answers to equations is as simple as using one or two keys, which can make solving difficult problems faster and easier. And while most teachers now encourage the use of calculators in their classrooms, it's worth asking first if this type of device is allowed.
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