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TI-Nspire series

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TI-Nspire™ CAS
File:TI-NspireCAS.jpg
A TI-Nspire™ CAS Calculator
TypeProgrammable, Graphing, Symbolic
ManufacturerTexas Instruments
Calculator
Entry modeD.A.L.
Display typeLCD Dot-matrix
TI-Nspire™
A TI-Nspire™ Calculator
TypeProgrammable Graphing
ManufacturerTexas Instruments
Calculator
Entry modeD.A.L.
Display typeLCD Dot-matrix

The TI-Nspire™ product line is a series of graphing calculators developed by Texas Instruments. This line currently includes the TI-Nspire and TI-Nspire CAS. It is available as a handheld and also as software for Windows and Mac OS X.

Handhelds

The TI-Nspire line of handhelds have greatly improved hardware compared to older TI graphing calculators running Derive Software. The new LCD screen has a higher resolution (320x240 pixels) and is capable of displaying sixteen[1] shades of gray.[2]. The TI-Nspire and TI-Nspire CAS reportedly run off of the TI-NS2006A CPU (which has a frequency of 90 Mhz) and have a precision of 14.

The TI-Nspire line features the ability to display dynamically linked variables from application to application. For example, a calculator application with an equation stored in the variable x might be displayed alongside a graphing application which would graph the shared variable. Changes made to variables made in one application will affect the others in real time.

In addition to dynamic variable linking, the TI-Nspire also displays mathematical expressions in "pretty-print", making it possible to enter and display mathematical expressions the way they would be written on a paper.

TI-Nspire

The TI-Nspire calculator excluding the acronym CAS is comparable to the TI-84 Plus in features and functionality. It features a TI-84 mode by way of a replaceable snap-in keypad (included) and contains a fully working TI-84 Plus emulator. The likely target of this is secondary schools that make use of the TI-84 Plus currently or have text books that cover the TI-83 (Plus) and TI-84 Plus lines, and to allow them to transition to the TI-Nspire line more easily.

Since the TI-Nspire lacks a QWERTY keyboard, it is acceptable for use on the PSAT, SAT, SAT II, ACT, and AP Exams.

The TI-Nspire also features a "testing mode" LED indicator, designed to stop potential cheating, informing test supervisors that the calculator is still denying access to saved files and possibly restricting geometry features on the handheld during the test. It also features a timer. At the end of a test, the supervisor is required to check the calculator's timer to see if it has not been removed out of "testing mode".[3]

TI-Nspire CAS

The TI-Nspire CAS calculator stores and displays values symbolically instead of as floating-point numbers, and includes algebraic functions like deSolve(...) and eigVc(...) as well as calculus based functions, including limits, derivatives, and integrals. For this reason, the TI-Nspire CAS is more comparable to the TI-89 Titanium and Voyage 200. Its likely target is college students and universities.

Unlike the TI-Nspire, it is not compatible with the snap-in TI-84 Plus keypad. It has a "testing mode" but not an LED indicator. It is accepted in the SAT and AP exams, but not in the ACT[4] or IB.

TI-Nspire CAS–Plus

Prior to the Nspire CAS's final release, a number of prototype models were developed for evaluation by educational establishments around the world[1]. These units came in numerous color schemes and were all denoted "Nspire CAS–Plus". Some of these prototype CAS–Plus units were leaked and put up for sale on sites like eBay. As they do not contain final firmware and are not upgradable, TI advises against their purchase[5].

Memory

Both calculators have 32 MB of NAND Flash, 32 MB of SDRAM, and 512 KB of NOR Flash. The NAND Flash contains the Operating system and saved documents and is not executable. The SDRAM likely contains an uncompressed version of the OS, and a copy of all active documents. The NOR Flash contains boot instructions for loading the operating system.

The NSpire family does not contain a backup battery (like all previous models) so when a battery is removed, the SDRAM is deleted, hence why it needs to load the operating system and file structure from the NAND Flash to the SDRAM.

Other features

One feature includes a periodic table with the TI-84 keyboard, useful for chemistry classes. As with some other TI calculators, the TI-Nspire can be used with sensors to deal with the real world (data acquisition) such as Vernier EasyTemp, Vernier Go! Motion, Vernier Go! Temp, or Texas Instruments CBR2 motion detector. [6][7][8]

Similar products

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Datamath Calculator Museum
  2. ^ TI-Nspire.com – TI-Nspire Handheld and Software Learning Technology for the Math and Science Classroom by Texas Instruments
  3. ^ Press-to-Test Features and Configuration
  4. ^ http://www.actstudent.org/faq/answers/calculator.html
  5. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:TI-Nspire#Nspire_CAS.2B
  6. ^ Vernier Software & Technology Global Gateway
  7. ^ CBR 2 by Texas Instruments -US and Canada
  8. ^ Data Collection - TI-Nspire.com by Texas Instruments
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