People are too dependant on calculators
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People are too dependant on calculators
Why is it that everyone NEEDS to have programs on their calculators
to do all the things that are more easily done by hand. Even the more
advanced topics like derivatives that are only functions of the TI-93
(yes the other calculators have nder(x), but the 92 gives you the exact
answer) are faster when done by hand. When it comes time on a test to
use your knowledge that you attained from doing your homework, if you
are not allowed to use your calculator, or if there is a time limit, it
is bennificial to have taken the quicker apporach and do it by hand.
For example, take the derivative of:
x^2 +2x -3
on the calculator, you have press 14 buttons and wait for it to display
the answer, then copy it down to paper, if you do it in your head, you
press no buttons, and can copy it down as you do each part, and you can
show your work (if there are many steps) both ways you get the answer
of:
2x +2
Earlier on this newsgroup, people were panicing saying that they had
no programs on their calculators to use on the SAT's. The topics on the
SAT's are so simple that using a calculator makes is harder. If I
remember correctly, the first problem was :
x+x+x+x+x+1=x+x+x+x+2
You could either type this into the solver on the 83, 85, or 86 (did i
miss any?) or you could, oh i dont know, think for yourself, suctrack a
few x's and get the answer of 1.
I think that people are way to dependant on their calculator, but I
am not saying that calculators shouldn't be used. For drawing graphs of
parabolas and multiplying large numbers calculators are useful, but the
next time you have to find the intersection of two lines, dont solve for
y, type in the equations into y1 and y2, press graph, math,
intersection, enter, enter, enter and copy the anwer off the calculator
but make an equality and solve for x. See which way is quicker and
which will give you the better grade ( and the more exact answer such as
11/49 instead of .2244897) I am willing to bet that doing it by hand is
better in all respects (and if it is slower by hand, you need to brush
up on your algebra)
Tim Brierley
Brierley@erols.com
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