Device Combines Features Of Computer & Calculator
Expressly designed for high-school and college mathematics instruction, the TI-92 combines the power of computer software and the independence of a calculator. The portable, hand-held unit sports a full QWERTY keyboard, numeric keypad, eight-direction cursor and function keys that operate pull-down menus. It supports NCTM standards and accommodates a broad range of math subjects from algebra through calculus. For example, the TI-92's interactive geometry applications allow students to build objects using points, lines, triangles, polygons, circles, arcs and other basic shapes. Objects can be translated, rotated and dilated. Its symbolic manipulation features, meanwhile, were developed in conjunction with Soft Warehouse, authors of DERIVE. Students may explore polynomial factors, roots of equation, indefinite integrals, derivatives, limits and Taylor polynomials. Expressions appear on the screen just as they would in a printed textbook. The device graphs functions, parametric equations, polar equations, recursively defined sequences and 3D surfaces. With optional TI-GRAPH LINK software, one may transfer data and programs between the TI-92 and a computer. The TI-92 is also compatible with the firm's Calculator-Based Laboratory (CBL) System, for analyzing real-world data. Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, (800) TI-CARES.
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/1995 issue of THE Journal.