Calc recommendation - self-study college math refresh

[avsebastian]

(08-11-2024 02:24 AM)carey Wrote:  

(08-11-2024 12:39 AM)HPing Wrote:  I am self-studying "forgotten" math from college days. Kindly recommend a beginner scientific calculator.

I have a lot of HPs at work
- 12c - love the interface and rpn
- 19b - clunky and cracked easily. uninspiring
- 17b - Ok but not too inspiring

I also had some inexpensive casio scientific calculators in college that were nice.

Tempted by a 15c (vintage or collectors edition). Or maybe some graphing calculator. The HP Prime seems a bit extreme.

Since your stated purpose is to self-study forgotten math and mention college math in your subject line, and since your objection to the Prime was that it’s extreme and didn’t mention it’s weakness in RPN, a great calculator to consider for college math self-study is the algebraic HP39GS.

-there’s loads of math instructional materials
-graphical
-USB computer connection
-inexpensive (even new ones can sometimes be found for around $35)
-it’s the same App-based UI that started with the 38g and evolved into the Prime
-advanced matrix functions including SVD
-Programmable in a powerful version of BASIC

Note that the 15C is a remarkable calculator, but it’s not what comes to mind first to self-study forgotten college math.

ohhh..... but , the hp 39gs has no CAS

For engineering studies, is great, but for mathematics??? I think it is more advisable hp 48g, hp 49g, hp 50g, hp 40g