Calculator is a necessary tool for many of us, especially students and teachers who will be using them in learning situations as well as some professionals to do their jobs. For learners who will be using scientific calculators, Texas Instruments TI 30XS Vs TI 30XB are two reliable choices to consider because they can deal with lots of problems yet, they are also different and before deciding to go with one, here is why you may want to choose one of them instead.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- What is Scientific Calculator
- What are Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB
- What Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB Look Like
- How are the Display on Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB
- How to Use Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB
- What else Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB can offer
- Texas Instruments TI 30XS Vs TI 30XB
Scientific Calculator
For most of us, a calculator may not be a necessary tool to have around because you can use software to do some complex calculation or use the one in our smartphone. You can download them for free from the store and in most cases, these are already enough to help you know how much to spend or how much we have to earn and save if this is about monthly budgeting. However, in a learning institution, students need much more than just adding, dividing, and common basic function.
Scientific calculator itself is just like any type of electronic calculator which in most cases will be operated handheld or as big as an adult’s hand and they are designed to solve problems commonly found in science, engineering, as well as mathematics. They have been replacing the traditional function of slide rules and now widely used in both education and professional setting. However, for the professional setting, modern workplace also use computer programs for more advanced needs and this is also related to it being more convenient.
Scientific calculators in a glance may look like a graphing calculator such as TI 84 Plus Vs TI Nspire CX because the latter is more often used in a higher education. The latter also can do what scientific calculators deal with but more powerfully and as the name suggests, they will be able to draw the graph for you. The easiest way to tell them apart is by checking the display as a graphing function will require lots of space hence they have wider display than average models.
If this is your first time buying a scientific calculators, while each model will be defined by their own manufacturer, in general they should be able to do these following function; scientific notation, floating point arithmetic, logarithmic functions using both base 10 and base e, exponential functions and roots beyond square root, quick access to constants, and trigonometric functions. In some higher models, you will also find other functions such as complex numbers, fraction calculations, statistic and probability calculations, programmable feature, matrix calculations and calculus.
Depending on your needs however, there are various scientific calculators out there and features or capabilities vary among manufacturers. Most of them are using a single-line display, the same to our display calculator which can only do basic calculation but more expensive products usually have more digits from 10 to 12 and you will also find extra digits for the floating-point exponent while the rest have multi-line displays. At the end, rather than going with a popular model it is better to find the ideal option that fits our budget and needs.
About Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB
Now when you already have an image on how the calculator should be or which model seems to fit your application the most, it is time to see what the market has to offer because there are tons of them out there. In most cases all scientific models will be able to do those basic functions so you can go with any of them but ease of use and operating convenience can be different among brands so we do prefer something that we have been used to.
We also tend to stay with famous brands with lots of users because it makes things easier to learn since there will be many who can give instruction to do certain problems or based on the community. Among those many calculator brands, we are sure you will be familiar with Texas Instruments because this is one if not the most popular name here in the US market along with another local player like Hewlett-Packard. One of the best things about TI products is you will find lots of stuff to learn.
The huge community becomes a plus point for we can always find people to rely on and learn from whenever we felt unfamiliar about a problem and how to solve it using the calculators. Teachers are also familiar with their products and many are allowed on standard tests that require or ask the students to use certain types of calculators. For those looking at scientific calculators, Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB will be two of the most ideal options to consider.
The 30XS is probably among the top affordable scientific calculators today and you can find them on various stores both physical and online but the latter is actually the same unit and they are a close brother that can do the same function. In some countries, you may not find the original 30XS but the 30XB will replace the unit just the same. There is another similar model called 30X II which is cheaper but is less capable in comparison.
The real difference between Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB is actually on their power source because if you are familiar with their calculators, TI use the “S” code for solar power and “B” for the battery option which is exactly what set them apart from each other.
Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB Design
As you can see on the sample picture above, these calculators are identical to each other and if the model name is difficult to distinguish, you can notice the former has a solar panel at the top while the latter has none. What’s confusing is Texas Instruments also list the latter as a dual power but the fact that it doesn’t have a solar panel means that this model is solely relying on battery power. For common usage the batteries included can run for years before starting to fade.
In measurement they are the same for as big an adult palm and they are also made from the same plastic. They do however, have different fashion but you may find them in different colors as well depending on availability for example the blue 30XS and white 30XB. Their buttons are not cushiony at all for they are solid and seems to be made from hard plastic as well. As a multi-view model, these displays are the same 16-character, four line display with a good quality for its readability.
Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB Display
The first thing we love about Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB is their multi-view and this is what makes them a favorite among other scientific calculators out there which also lack in its little brother 30X II. This multi-view instead of coming with only two line displays will give you 4 separate lines and each one of them are capable of displaying a problem and an answer. The reason why it is good is because you can input the number as it seems in the book.
With this you can get familiar with the calculator quickly compared to when we also have to learn how they compute and how they display the result or problem. In addition this type of display will have a distinct advantage of returning exact results for trig functions. Overall it simplifies the viewing and how you type the problem. For those who will be taking ACT, both of them are legal to be used including many of its graphing calculators.
Calculating Using Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB
Moving further let’s see how to work with Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB and from the beginning let’s say we want to solve the square root of 16 and if you want the calculator to work just like how we write it down. Go to the menu and choose “mathprint” next to “classic” mode by toggling using their arrow button and enter button. To get out of the menu, press the 2nd button and then mode. The function of the 2nd button is to activate the second function of each key or the green function.
Most of us stay in this “mathprint” mode for it is the easiest and most convenient to use. To do the problem, press second and then square root button, enter the 16, toggle the cursor to the right out of the square root and press enter. The display will show 4 and if you are typing a number without a rational number such as 6, it will show either simplification of it or the irrational number when you press the toggle button for down.
Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB Feature
On the additional feature part, besides all of those neat capabilities, another function we love from Texas Instruments TI 30XS and TI 30XB is how they let you call the previous calculation and even edit it. To bring back the previous calculation, you can press the 2nd button and then press enter; the previous calculation will appear and if you want to edit it, press the up arrow twice and enter it. Now there is the same calculation appearing below the previous one and you can edit it.
Texas Instruments TI 30XS Vs TI 30XB
These calculators are exactly the same and whatever you can do in one model will also be possible in the latter. We like their mathprint mode and its simple view which allow you to display the problem and result like how we write or see it in a textbook. In addition, they are easy to use as well as come with neat features. The difference is that XS will run both on solar and battery power while the XB will run only on battery.
| Name | Texas Instruments TI 30XS | Texas Instruments TI 30XB |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments |
| Features | - Solves time-value-of-money calculations such as annuities, mortgages, leases, savings, and more - Performs cash-flow analysis for up to 32 uneven cash flows with up to 4-digit frequencies - Calculates various financial functions - The Texas Instruments BAII Plus Professional features an Automatic Power Down | - Over 100 built-in functions - Algebraic data entry - Intuitive keyboard layout with easy-to-read labels - Adjustable contrast display |
| Price | ||
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5.0 stars | 4.4 out of 5.0 stars |
| Best deal | Save Money Please click here | Save Money Please click here |
Conclusion
All in all it is a matter of preference since they can do the same functions but in comparison, we do like TI 30XS better because it can run on both solar and battery power as well as cheaper on most stores.
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