Texas Instruments TI-36X Pro Engineering/Scientific Calculator | 9.7 Inch | Black.

Ordered this for my other half. Said that her previous one lasted over 4 years. No problem and seems well made.

If youre STEM and you dont have this calculator you are making a grave mistake. You cant use graphing calculators on many of the higher-level tests, and this calculator is very powerful with lots of built in constants and great floating point accuracy. It will also automatically simplify fractions for you and give results in exact fractional terms (especially trig functions) that most calculators would output as an approximated value (i.e. cos(30) = sqrt(3)/2 whereas a TI-84 or TI-30 would give 0.866). You can hit the key above enter to get the approximated value from that. Remember, you cant just use the table function to get this because your calculator will output an imprecise result. - Not with the TI-36X pro. Table function for days. Make sure you memorize Avagadros number, you need that to calculate molar mass and molecules. - 2nd > constant > 4 > enter = 3.02214179e23 Dont get in the habit of storing values to memory with your TI-84, you wont be able to do that on the test - 8 constants you can store to calculate values to greater accuracy than if you spent the time to type in 10-digit values. I often get a more precise result than some of my professors who use lower grade calculators (verified by Wolfram Alpha/etc; obviously half the time I get a different result Im just wrong =] ) And Im just a sophomore scratching the surface of this things capabilities, a couple of my professors and a friend of mine with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics say it never stops being useful late into your career.

The picture shows silver flat keys with blackened math functioned symbols, but the one I got has total chrome keys and the symbols are not blackened out. The math function keys are difficult to see unless the light hits them just right,. I bought this calculator because it is approved for taking to my Ham Radio license test. I tested the calculators functionality against my 20 year old HP graphing calculator and a the math seems accurate .. at least for engineering. I like the rest of the calculator; fits good in the hands and the display is easy to read, but why the engineers would have ever gone with chrome math function keys is beyond me. They must have wanted to make it look cool, but cool it is not. Im going to keep it as it does what I need it to do, but I will be filling in the symbols with flat black so I can see them. if you find this calculator with different color keys, get it, or maybe find an older model. If you expect perfection, then pass on the calculator. Shame on the Engineers.. and to TI for allowing it to go out like this. They should try using it before putting it out on the production line.

TI-36X Pro calculator (A non-graphing scientific calculator) I originally reviewed a TI-30XS Multi-View and a Casio FX-115ES when I took the Professional Engineer exam because they were the only ones available at the time that I could use without too much difficulty. I took 3-4 months before the exam to familiarize myself with the calculator before I took the actual exam. I felt the Casio FX-115ES was far superior, although the TI-30XS MV had a much cleaner interface and a sensible layout. But the FX-115ES was very easy to use once you got used to the menu/layout as Casio hasnt changed its scientific calculators very much over the years. Many of the features I favored in the FX-115ES were not available in the TI-30XS MV such as complex numbers and handling matrices, and even working with different base numbers. The TI-36X Pro seems to have resolved many, if not all, of the TI-30XS MV shortcomings. Had the 36X Pro been available in late 2008, I would have most likely used it for the exam along with my FX-115ES as a backup calculator. The 36X Pro interface/layout is similar to the TI-30XS MV which makes it easy to use. The answers default in approximations (decimals) versus exact numbers (fractions) with the FX-115ES. This makes it easier for engineers since I always had to press the convert key on the FX-115ES. The TI-36X Pro treats complex numbers the same way as the FX-115ES, just make sure to set it in the Complex mode for polar or rectangular values. I still prefer the TI-89s treatment of complex numbers without having to deal with different modes (square root of -1 = i without going to any different modes), but it isnt too hard to change a few settings in the 36X Pro and it even has a key for i albeit it is a multi-tap key, but it works in the REAL mode. Different number bases with the 36XP Pro require navigating more menu layers versus the FX-115ES. With the Casio, you could directly switch between DEC, HEX, BIN, etc... whereas the TI 36X Pro requires you to convert the values. Again, this isnt a big deal it is just a matter of a few extra seconds of time. The TI 36X Pro has a better menu, but the FX-115ES is more direct. I guess that is probably a Japanese trait as well! The TI-36X Pro has lots of conversions and constants, and they are actually described in the menu which makes it very easy to use versus the cryptic FX-115ES. Again, the FX-115ES can be more direct - but that is the same for Microsoft DOS or Unix. They can be very quick and direct, but no one wants to use cryptic commands. A GUI or touch-screen is far more intuitive and that is where the TI-36X Pro shines. However, the TI-36X Pro conversions are very basic and limited to some common conversions. For exams, this isnt as big of a problem. For scientific or engineering work, I would prefer more conversions available on the spot. The multi-tap keys on the 36X Pro are an excellent idea. TI probably had to do this because they ran out of room for more buttons or a 3rd key. The multi-tap keys are easy to use, just repeatedly press them until you get the command you want. The color scheme of the calculator itself is an improvement over the TI-30XS MV. The 30 was white with a teal/blue green color. The white has now turned yellow, and the 30 always looked like a kids calculator. The TI-36X Pro is a black/dark gray motif and there are 7 keys coated with a metallic color. It makes it hard to read the symbols, but TI did etch the 6 keys with their commands. My only guess as to why they did this was that the keys tend to rub smooth with repeated use. I had my TI-86 for the longest time since 1996, and most of the keys were polished smooth by the time it started to malfunction and use up batteries in a few days. So the etching/molded keys arent a bad idea - I just wish they used a more visible/contrasting scheme for those keys. The solar assist comes in handy for exams because you dont have to worry about changing your batteries too often. Although TI does mention this is just a solar assist to lengthen the battery life probably by using whatever photovoltaic source you can get via the cell but relying mainly on the CR2032 lithium coin cell. I removed the battery and the calculator refused to turn on even under direct sunlight. So apparently the calculator does run on the CR2032 battery and utilizes some assistance from the solar cells. I am not a big fan of the hard case, as it clips at the bottom and top. I prefer the slide case of the TI graphing calculators although the 30XS/36X Pro case has better retention. Its not going to come apart in a backpack. To sum it up, Id recommend the TI 36X Pro in situations where you cannot use a graphing calculator. I am still split on the Casio FX-115ES and the TI-36X Pro, although I feel both are on-par in terms of features. The TI-36X Pro is definitely more user friendly. Overall: 4/5 stars

This calculator calculates numbers correctly.

This Calculator is good over all, highly recommend for students that are taking pre-cal or cal. This product came in un-use brand new, the package and everything was sealed but I notices that the buttons are a little shifted. The buttons are a little tipped over and some are shifted downwards

I had used a TI-83+ for about 8 years. When I signed up to take my Fundamentals of Engineering review, they limit which calculators can be used and the one I was used to wasnt allowed. However, this one was. I had such an easy transition to using this one and it saved me on multiple occasions during the exam (especially the definite integral and matrices features).

I am a fan of this calculator, it is an updated version of the one I used through high school and part of college. I got this for my son for high school, it took a little bit to teach his some of the functions, but it made a real difference once he got the hang of it. It is something that is worth every penny.

Ive owned everything from a free calculator that doubles as a pencil case to the TI-NSpire CX CAS with a color display. Aside from graphing, of course, this 36X does EVERYTHING better than any other calculator Ive used. The interface is incredible (fraction bars, scroll and multiple line functionality), it handles complex numbers like a champ, basic equation solving, even derivatives and integrals? So small but SO powerful. Just buy one.