Re: A C H A L L E N G E

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Re: A C H A L L E N G E

Eric Chu wrote:
>
> Hello, TI people.
>
> I offer a challenge to whoever can prove to me that the TI line of
> calculators is more superior than the HP's...  By the way, I own a TI-85
> and an HP-48GX (my brother has an 86), and, I know which one is MUCH
> more superior.  And it's not the black thing...
>
> Go ahead, bash away.
> Eric Chu

Now come on please, get real. You start of by letting us all know you
think the HP is superior. It's evident that you aren't going to listen
to us no matter what.
However, I want to try and make a few points anyway (how dumb it might
ever seem :)

You start out by comparing your TI-85 to your HP-48GX and naturally your
choice has to be the HP. Naturally. But that's like comparing a 486 to a
P5...Try comparing realistically, for example with TI-92.
That's when we can start talking, when you compare two equivalent
calculators, both in functions and time of release into the market.
The basics we've all heard are:
The HP has more power but is not so easy to wield (i.e. userfriendly) as
the TI-92.
The TI-92 is so easy to use, anyone can do it.
I don't want to start an argument about the text editor or the geometry
editor on the TI-92 as they have no comparison on the HP. Leave that
alone.
However, both calcs do the same, except it's harder on an HP. So the HP
is faster, ok, but I use the extra time on figuring out how to do it.
 - And what are a few seconds anyway when you compare it to the
userfriendlyness of the TI?

Example:
Today I had a math assignment to deliver (I study at the university),
part of it involved an equation where the solutions were possible limits
for the expression we were examining. We knew from an earlier part.that
3 would be a good guess.

The equation reduced to:
(a-1)^3 = a+5

I'm lazy, so I don't want to hand-calc (a-1)^3, I just type it on my
TI-92, pressing: F2 3 (a-3)^3) <ENTER>
on the screen it said:
expand((a-1)^3)
and the result was:
a^3 - 3a^2 + 3a - 1
Now, to reduce the right side of my equation to zero, I wanted to move
(a+5) over, so I pressed <up> <ENTER> - (a+5) <ENTER>
result:
a^3 - 3a^2 +2a - 6
Now, the in the assignment we had to utilize the hunch that 3 was a
solution, so we needed to divide the expression with (a-3)
Well, F2 2 <up> <ENTER> , a-3) <ENTER>
and voila:
(a-3)(a^2+2)=0

EXACTLY the expression I needed with minimum keypresses.

Try doing it on your HP and see how easy it is to follow and write
down...One of the other guys here has one and he just said: "well, maybe
I could write a program that does it *smiling* but no..."

The user interface is so much better on the TI and that is why I like it
better. I'll probably get an HP to someday because I think they're both
cool.

However, which is better will always be a matter of opinion and you and
I have stated ours, so end of discussion.

regards,

--
          Rene Kragh Pedersen
------------------------------------------------
.oO) Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my disk? (Oo.
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