Re: TI-85 vs TI-83
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> vitdoc@deltanet.com (Scott Grant) writes:
> My son just purchased a TI-83 to use in his advanced algebra class. Many of
> his friends have a TI-85. He feels that the 85 has more useful functions
and
> is faster. He would like to return his 83 and get an 85. Is this
reasonable?
> The 83 is more recent, but it is an update of the 82. Is the processor in
the
> 85 faster? Thanks for any information.
>
> Scott Grant
>
>
>>>>
People seem to love their TI-85s, but I think it would be a mistake for your
son to
exchange his TI-83. The TI-85 is now four years old, while the TI-83 has been
out
for only six months and has lots of features not found on any other TI-8X.
I'll start by listing the advantages of the TI-85 over the TI-83:
The display is one-third wider (128x64 vs. 96x64).
It has 1.2K more user memory (28.5K vs. 27.3K).
It solves differential equations.
It can handle lists with more than 999 elements.
It computes eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrices.
It has custom user menus.
As far as your son is concerned, the display width may be a real advantage, but
not a huge one. The difference in user memory is minimal. Lists with 1,000
elements take up over 9,000 bytes of user memory, so neither calculator can
hold
more than three at a time. And how do you enter a list of 1,000 elements? It
will
probably be at least two years, and maybe more, before your son really needs a
calculator that handles differential equations, eigenvalues, or eigenvectors,
and by
that time, he will probably want a TI-92 or its successor. I don't know how
custom
user menus work on a TI-85, but a TI-83 can easily display user-defined menus
from any program.
Both calculators use a Zilog Z80 processor running at 6 MHz. Any difference in
speed is due to differences in software, not hardware. Both calculators will
run
assembly language, but on the TI-85, you need to use TI-GRAPH LINK to load a
full memory backup containing Zshell, an independently developed shell which
runs assembly language programs stored as strings. On the TI-83, you can key in
assembly language programs from the keyboard or load them with TI-GRAPH
LINK and run them like any other program. TI provides a lot of support
documentation for assembly language programming on the TI-83, but none for the
TI-85.
Now for the advantages of the TI-83:
The user interface seems to be much simpler.
It allows recall of multiple entries.
It has horizontal and vertical split screen modes.
It displays user-defined tables with simultaneous graph/table tracing.
It has multiple graph styles, including user-defined shading and animation.
The TI-83 also has a complete library of financial and statistical functions
including
an interactive time-value-of-money solver, cash flows, amortization, list
transformations (stored column formulas), box, scatter, histogram, and normal
probability plots, probability distribution functions and graphs, logistic and
sine
regression models, nine types of inferential statistical tests, and six types
of
confidence interval calculations.
As of now, a lot more software is available for the TI-85 than for the TI-83,
but that
is to be expected for a four year old machine. The TI-83 will run any TI-82
software
with minimal modifications, while the TI-85 won't run software for any other
TI-8X
calculator without serious reprogramming. As the TI-83 replaces the TI-82, much
more software will become available.
All in all, while the TI-85 has definite advantages for certain branches of
higher
mathematics, I think the features of the TI-83 are more useful and convenient
for
the vast majority of users. Your son should think twice before exchanging his
calculator for an older and more specialized machine.
Harry
References: