Find the Best Calculator for AP* Statistics and Calculus

Students are expected to bring a graphing calculator to the AP Statistics Exam and to the AP Calculus Exam. These calculators should have specific computational capabilities. The College Board has prepared a list of calculators that have all of the capabilities needed for both exams.

Evaluation of Approved Calculators

We found many of the AP-approved calculators at Amazon.com, and evaluated each on the following criteria.

Price: The price of a new or used calculator, as of September 3, 2010.
User rating: From 1 (unacceptable) to 5 (excellent).

Evaluation findings are summarized below.

Best buys	Make	Model	New price	Used price	User rating	Number of raters
*	Casio	FX-9750GPLUS	$24.99	$25.00	4.5	17
	Casio	FX 2.0	$140.00	$139.99	4.0	17
*	Casio	CFX-9850GC PLUS	$129.95	$51.77	4.5	26
*	Casio	FX-9860GSLIM	$59.00		4.5	4
	Hewlett Packard	F2226A	Too low to display	$49.99	3.5	13
	Hewlett Packard	F2228A	$279.99	$64.99	3.0	84
*	Hewlett Packard	F2229AA#ABA	Too low to display		4.5	203
*	Hewlett Packard	39G+	$59.00	$50.00	4.5	5
*	Texas Instruments	TI86	$119.00	$44.55	4.5	57
*	Texas Instruments	TI83PLUS	$72.99	$54.23	4.5	280
*	Texas Instruments	TI83PLUSSILVER	$79.94	$61.99	4.5	280
*	Texas Instruments	TI-89	$124.95	$94.75	4.5	233
*	Texas Instruments	TI-84 PLUS	$84.99	$71.60	4.5	98
*	Texas Instruments	TI-84 PLUS SILV	$99.49	$71.95	4.5	99
	Texas Instruments	NSCAS/PWB/1L1	$158.51	$139.00	4.0	45
	Texas Instruments	NS/CLM/1L1/B	$138.60	$74.99	4.0	40

User ratings and prices are current, as of September 3, 2010.

Recommendations

The best calculator for you depends on your personal needs. Here are some things to consider.

Cost. If you want a new calculator at a low price, choose the FX-9750GPLUS. If you want a used calculator at a low price, choose the FX-9750GPLUS.
User satisfaction. The highest rated calculators were the FX-9750GPLUS, CFX-9850GC PLUS, FX-9860GSLIM, F2229AA#ABA, 39G+, TI86, TI83PLUS, TI83PLUSSILVER, TI-89, TI-84 PLUS, TI-84 PLUS SILV, all with a satisfaction rating of 4.5.
Peace of mind. If you are looking for a calculator with a favorable satisfaction score based on ratings from at least 100 users, consider the F2229AA#ABA, the TI83PLUS, the TI83PLUSSILVER, or the TI-89. Each of these calculators received a satisfaction score of 4.5.
Extra features. And finally, if you want it all, consider Texas Instruments' TI-89. This calculator has favorable user ratings plus advanced functionality not found in other models. It may be the best choice, if you plan to use the calculator for other advanced courses or for real-world engineering applications.

One More Thing . . .

It is important for each student to bring an AP-approved graphing calculator to the exam. Here's why.

The test developers assume that students will have an approved calculator. Students without a calculator will be at a disadvantage.
Non-graphing scientific calculators, portable computers, and devices with QWERTY keyboards (e.g., TI-92 plus, TI-Voyage 200) are not permitted. Proctors will check calculators before the exam.

*	AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this web site.

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