DeRango's Full Review: Texas Instruments TI-30 Xa Solar Scientific Calcul...
It has always been my policy to try and find a good use for items I purchase. Most of the time these purchases are under researched impulse buys that were required to complete a task and made with such haste that one does not even consider the consequences. Even though the cost was nominal I felt that the quality & performance of the product was not worth what was paid.
Product Specs
Date of introduction: 1996
Display technology: LCD
Display size: 10 2
Size: 5.9" x 3.0" x 0.50"
Weight: 2.9 ounces
Batteries: 2*LR44
Origin of manufacture: China
Precision: 12
Integrated circuits: Toshiba T6M79 or T6M80A
Memories : 3
Product Functions/Details
One-variable statistics
Conversions
Fractions/Decimals
Degrees/Radians/Grads
DMS/Decimal/Degrees
Polar/rectangular conversion
Ten-digit display
Fraction features
Adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides fractions entered in traditional numerator/denominator format.
Accuracy
Decimal system allows for 10 display places and 2 (Power) Places like 1.2 x 10(30), although sufficient for significant digits it does not always give you the proper rounding for those digits. The resulting equation answer is an incorrect figure; these rounded digits can make a large difference in my particular field and I’m sure in almost any major field of math study. Example: If I was calculating and the answer was .0034581598, the actual display will show 3 X 10(-03). I found later a way to force it to show all the decimals, but it required several extra steps, not explained clearly in the manual.
Layout
Most people have used several calculators throughout their schooling, personal finances, or at their jobs and know what they like to see when they pick one up to crunch some numbers. So when I first grabbed the calculator to start my exam, I noticed that the layout was a bit crowded, but because of the difference colors that each area of buttons contained it was fairly simply to navigate but crowed with the “doubled up or 2nd feature.” This allows buttons to serve more than one function by pressing this key first then the black button has yellow text above telling you what the function does.
-Black buttons delegated functions (Clear, On/off, square root, sin, cosine, and tangent)
-Grey buttons delegate numbers: Zero through Nine the decimal & +/- (change sign)
-Yellow button was used as a 2nd function for all buttons that had “doubled” functions or secondary purposes. The text is also yellow above the key to show or explain the function.
-Turquoise most importantly: Plus, minus, divide, multiply, and equals.
Functionality
Some of the functions and features that I like include
-Automatic shutoff for when not using the calculator for an extended period of time, or if you just simply forget to turn it off, which in turn saves the battery.
-Memory function, if it had more than 3 slots it would be more helpful, but still is nice to have.
-Degrees Minutes Seconds converting Decimal to Degrees at the touch of a button.
Functions that need improvement
-Accuracy when rounding larger numbers and smaller decimals.
-Buttons crowded layout can be frustrating, and not as easy for the consumer to use.
-When using powers greater than 2X, it caused a bit of frustrating trying to use the 10 x 2 decimal function.” It is almost easier to multiply the number by it self four times than try and use this function.
-Clearing a function while calculating: sometimes I make mistakes and press a number I done not want to use, if you clear that number and want to start over it stays in that function until you either finish that function or command or you will have to start over. Irritating & time consuming
Construction Specifications
The construction of the shell, case, and buttons is made entirely of hard plastic, which has proven quite durable. However the buttons do require some finesse while trying to press and use them, they have always been somewhat particular in the way you apply pressure to them. This causes a bit of frustration when I press a command or number and it skips causing an incorrect variable or final resultant. I do use this calculator in the field which means its outside in a tool belt all day getting dropped on concrete, smashed against other tools, and generally abused. I have still yet to break it, so it has proven to be quite durable. The LCD screen has a plastic coating that is scratched up a bit, making it harder to determine the display, but that is more or less my fault.
My Experience
Rushing to class one day in college I found myself without a calculator to take the final exam, I was in such a hurry when leaving my home I left my house without it. So finding out I had carelessly left the one tool I needed to complete my job I ran into the book store in hope of finding a quick solution to my plight. There it was 10 bucks and it had the functions I needed to complete the job, or so it seemed. With only 3 memory slots it made it difficult to complete computations without “writing down” critical information.
Overall
Recommending that the product be used for basic functions as laid out in the details above. Knowing that the calculator is cheap I have used it for about 6 years total. Although its functionality is limited I can still complete equations and calculations with it just the same as a more expensive calculator. I have found that because it is so inexpensive I don't mind beating on it and taking it into the field with me, moreover the calculator has been used all this time and I still have not replaced the so called batteries.
I do not recommend the purchase of it because if you spent a little extra and upgraded to a calculator that might be able to grow with your needs as you achieve higher academics levels you would save the headache of having to use and learn this poorly functioning calculator.
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