Do we need Graphic calculators in Uni?

[acrimony]

So I've just finished my further/methods exams and I was just wondering if we still need them in University?
Oh yeah I plan on studying Commerce

[_avO]

For stats (first year unit) you can use a graphics calc but I've heard this year they've made it so its techfree.

Also you'll probably just be using a scientific calc for accounting and finance units

[Gloamglozer]

If you're planning to do some maths subjects, whilst the calculator may not be permitted in exams, it can be a life-saver for assignments.    Trust me on this one. 

[dc302]

If you're planning to do some maths subjects, whilst the calculator may not be permitted in exams, it can be a life-saver for assignments.    Trust me on this one. 

Unless you do what I do...there are hardly any numbers in my subjects.

[DisaFear]

I'm interested in this too
Are all Maths in uni calc-free? Thinking about doing calculus

[Vincezor]

Hmmm what about engineering (@ Monash?) I've asked my methods teacher and she says no... but a second opinion is always nice, especially someone is doing an engineering course

If not, then I'll have to find a random year 9/10 to sell my CAS to :D

[Gloamglozer]

I'm interested in this too
Are all Maths in uni calc-free? Thinking about doing calculus

Most are.  I've done a total of 9 maths subjects and only one of them let me bring a calculator in the exam.

If you're planning to do some maths subjects, whilst the calculator may not be permitted in exams, it can be a life-saver for assignments.    Trust me on this one. 

Unless you do what I do...there are hardly any numbers in my subjects.

lol, yeah true, but to get there, you need to do the pre-requisites and those subjects have lots and lots of numbers and ugly algebra. 

[taiga]

Definitely keep the calculator if you're keen on Science, Engineering, or Commerce. They all have maths units, which as Gloamy said, all become a lot easier assignment wise with a graphics calculator.

For Commerce, Business Stats permits them in the exam I believe (depending on the examiner). Also it's useful for quite a few science maths assignments, and less irritating for number crunching in engineering assignments.

[Mao]

I would recommend using a full CAS. Whilst calculators are good as quick tools, they are very slow (to input and compute), cannot output to file, and generally not helpful beyond that. Since everyone is always around a computer (laptop), a full CAS that computes everything and generates all the graphics would be the most ideal.

For Monash kids, you get Mathematica for free while you are enrolled. http://www.its.monash.edu/staff/software/catalogue/
If you are not at Monash, there are alternative means. (cough)
It is the industry standard CAS, extremely powerful. Learning to use the basics isn't hard, mastering it takes a bit more, but when you get used to it, you can do everything at extreme efficiency. (I use it for all my assignments and research)

For people using the Android architecture on their phone, there is this app called 'HandyCalc' on the market. Its capabilities will surprise you, it's like having a graphics calculator on your phone (graphing, solving, etc).

The combination of these two pieces of software meant I have not taken a calculator to uni for 2 years.

[lorbubblegum25]

Disclaimer: for commerce, I have absolutely no idea. But read on if you intend on taking maths/science units (old question but someone may come across this thread later on).

Started uni at Monash and finished at UNSW (half and half) majoring in physics and mathematics/statistics.

I have always kept my TI-Inspire, but have only used it since high school 'for fun'.

Everything I did in 1st and 2nd year mathematics was by hand, assignments, tests and exams. A CAS can be handy for simple calculus when you want to check your work or skip into the guts of the assignment, but I wouldn't say that it would save you much if any time. If I wanted to check my work I would run it through Mathematica (a symbolic language so like the CAS calculators). As exams and tests were by hand, it was good practice to do everything else by hand as well (unless you had a unit that was very computationally intensive - of course you would need a computer for that).

In third year maths at UNSW we used MATLAB and Excel extensively for numerical and modelling methods. I did have one lecturer in a modelling course who said we could use a CAS for an assignment but it was just as easy in Excel or MATLAB. We all used MATLAB by choice just because it was used in just about every other unit. Different universities introduce MATLAB etc at different stages. UNSW does earlier, but Monash it's by hand in first and second year.

Some universities do use a CAS of some sort in some classes (I have no idea about commerce but in terms of if you choose any maths units). Hence, it is good advice to hang onto one. Also handy if you wish to do any VCE tutoring on the side later down the track. Maybe sell when you're already at university?