Best scientific (not programmable, not producing plots) calculator in your opinion.

[Dave Britten]

(04-10-2017 02:16 AM)lrdheat Wrote:  I also find myself impressed with the pocketable hp 10bii+. If a solver, programmability, and numerical calculus functions are not needed, this calculator is a nice device.

Unlike the CASIO Classwiz and the TI 36X Pro, all calculations take place in the same environment. One doesn't have to go to a probability or statistics venue...all such input and calculations are made from the keyboard with no menus to bring up. Statistical results (sums, standard deviations, normal curve calculations and such are always directly available to be called up from the keyboard (no menus required) when desired to be used in additional work. It is very easy to clear all statistics registers. An input key is utilized for 2 argument functions.

Another thing that I like is that the intermediate results of an ongoing calculation are displayed as operations are done as opposed to a long line of inputs appearing in the command line.

The CASIO Classwiz (fx-991EX) is nicer than the TI 36X Pro in it's display and speed of calculation. A drawback compared to the TI is that the CASIO loses it's data when switching between modes such as table or from statistics to the main calculating area. It also loses history if turned off. If this is not a deal breaker, the CASIO can accept a much longer equation than the TI which accepts a ~40 character equation in pretty print and I believe ~80 characters in line algebraic entry.

The 10bii+ is very nice, but I have a strong distaste for statistics with summation registers rather than lists. Any calculator that operates with lists will generally accept more elements than I would ever care to key into a calculator without them, and not have any visibility into the previous entries.

The Casios (and often Sharps) have the odd tendency to clear data when switching between modes or turning them off, which is usually a big turnoff for me. On the other hand, the Casio fx-9860g is really nice, though it's obviously a grapher/programmable.