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VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Mathematical Methods CAS => Topic started by: 8039 on June 12, 2010, 07:51:24 pm

Title: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: 8039 on June 12, 2010, 07:51:24 pm
How do I get it to factorize things? like I type in "factor 3x^2 - 6x" and it doesn't do anything.


And how do I see the coordinates for a specific point on a graph? like f(x)=x^2 and I want to see the corresponding y value at x=512 (obviously I can do this by hand, but it'd be useful to know how to do it on calculator too)
Title: Re: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: coletrain on June 12, 2010, 07:59:42 pm
for factorising did you use brackets ie factor((3x^2-6x))

for getting points of a graph, have you tried Graph Trace. MENU:5:1
Title: Re: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: 8039 on June 12, 2010, 08:10:17 pm
Quote from: coletrain on June 12, 2010, 07:59:42 pm
for factorising did you use brackets ie factor((3x^2-6x))

for getting points of a graph, have you tried Graph Trace. MENU:5:1

Hey yeah I used brackets... and it seems to work for most equations. How do I get it to factor 2x^2 - 6x?

And trace works, thanks! I can even find the corresponding y value if I type in the x value, too bad I can't figure out how to do the opposite :/
Title: Re: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: iNerd on June 12, 2010, 08:13:43 pm
factor(2x^2-6x)
hit ENTER
answer is 2x(x-3)

Useful commands and functions of the TI-nspire for basic operations on this site:
http://www.essentialmaths.com.au/vels_student/files/Year9_tinspire.pdf
Title: Re: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: dyaner on June 12, 2010, 08:15:37 pm
The calculator does not factorise every single expression, it's what I discover what is happening to you. This means you  just have to factorise it manually.
Title: Re: Little help with TI-nspire
Post by: the.watchman on June 12, 2010, 08:17:24 pm
Also, for things like factorising , which has irrational terms in its factorised form, you need to type:

:)