Franklin SA-206 Spelling Ace with Thesaurus Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a great product with large, easy to read letters, and many wonderful functions. I did not rate it 5 stars for two reasons: first, the cover is not well attached and you must handle it rather carefully. Second, the battery compartment has one of those TINY screws that you can never find a screwdriver to fit and they strip so easily! I do hope the batteries don't drain quickly as I don't want to have to change them too often...be careful where you have this when you remove the screw or you will never see it again!


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Sharpen your spelling skills and refine your literary chops with the Franklin SA-206 Spelling Ace, which combines a portable English-language spelling corrector with a comprehensive thesaurus. The Spelling Ace offers phonetic spell correction for more than 100,000 words, along with more than 500,000 synonyms, antonyms, and "Classmates" (words from a similar category). As a result, it's easy to find the right word at the right time--a must for students, writers, educators, and more. Plus, the Spelling Ace makes learning fun, with eight word games to keep you sharp. The games range from traditional favorites like Anagram, Hangman, Jumble, and Spelling Bee to guessing games like Word Blaster.
Though the Spelling Ace is primarily a spelling corrector and thesaurus, it also includes built-in calculator and a phone list databank that stores up to 100 names and numbers. Other features include a 16-character scrolling display, an adjustable contrast, a context-sensitive help mode for beginning users, and an auto-shutoff function that preserves battery power. The Spelling Ace measures a compact 5.25 by 3.5 by 1 inch (W x H x D) and requires four AAA batteries (not included). It's also backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Spelling Ace, user's manual.

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Casio CFX-9850GC Plus Graphing Calculator (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a math teacher at a new private Bronx high school, and compared the TI-83 with the Casio in numerous regards before deciding which one our school would use. Hands down, the Casio wins, and it is cheaper as well. Note - I do not work for Casio or TI.
A) The calculator is more user friendly. The options are menu driven in a more intuitive way. What took me a minute or two to locate and figure out out the TI, took less than half the time on the Casio. Don't trust me- see for yourself.
B) The Casio is slightly faster than the TI
C)Features: The casio adds a dynamic graphing system (lets you change a coefficient and watch the graph change), which is very useful when teaching. I also like the EQUA feature, which lets my students calculate 2/3 equations, 2/3 unknowns, and solve quadratic or polynomial equations. Maybe the TI does this too, but I couln't figure it out.
D) The color thing I suppose is nice, but I use the CFX-9750, which is black and white and cheaper.
The only downside is that most colleges use the TI's, unfortunately. I liken it to most places using Microsoft when there are better alternatives out there (monopoly power). Anyway, a student who uses the Casio can do anything the TI-83 can do.
I'm a big fan, and my students seem to like it.


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For students in any field, but especially math and sciences, the Casio CFX-9850GC PLUS graphing calculator is a problem-solving tool with over 900 features for storing, graphing, and analysis. You can execute evaluation tables on a split screen (which allows you to trace the graph and scroll table values simultaneously) to display graphs and tables. With a long list of features, you can master list-based, one- and two-variable statistical calculations, a variety of regressions, statistics, hypothesis testing, and advanced financial calculations.
The large, readable display exhibits eight lines and 21 characters (15-digit, 10-plus-2 display) in three colors. Graphing functions include rectangular and polar coordinates, parametric, inequality, and vertical lines. Since graphing is animated, you can change the variables in a formula and watch the graph move accordingly.
It also performs statistical calculations such as scatter plots, histograms, box and whisker plots, and eight regression types. The dual screen shows two graphs: a graph and zoom or a graph and table on the same display. In statistical graphing you can use list-based matrix calculations of up to 26 matrices. The list editor manages up to 36 data lists and exchanges data with matrix and table modes. An instant-replay key recalls your previous entries.
The built-in communications port enables linkup to a personal computer. The CFX-9850GC PLUS stores up to 38 programs with 32 KB total memory. It is protected by a hard slide case and powered by four AAA alkaline batteries and a lithium battery for backup to preserve a constant memory even when the unit is turned off.
The Casio CFX-9850GC PLUS comes with a comprehensive guidebook and is supported by a one-year limited warranty. --Barbara Price

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Sharp EL531WBBK (Black) Scientific Calculator Review

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(More customer reviews)3 years ago, in Calc 1, I accidentally left my TI-83 in the classroom, and was never able to find it again. I had a test, and needed something, so ran to the university's book store, and had to choose between this for $10 and some TI calculator for $40. They looked almost identical, and I wanted the TI, because I knew they were a good brand, but I was poor and had to "settle" for this one. I was worried it would be cheap and limited and I'd have to buy another more expensive one later.
Fortunately, I was wrong. This calculator is light, easy to use, and does everything I needed it to do. It is easy to read, responsive, aesthetically designed so that using it is enjoyable. It is a good size so that it is not clunky and heavy like the graphing calculators.
I used it for the rest of Calc 1, then all of Calc 2, and all of Calc 3, and Engineering Statistics, and Discrete Math 1 and 2. Now I'm using it for physics 1, and I was looking at it thinking "I should go 5 star review this thing"
I don't know what the guy who gave it 2 stars was doing to get it to fade and break, but I have given mine a _ton_ of use. When I was in Calc 2, I was doing math 10 hours a day (I'm obsessive) you can go look it up, I have over 700 posts on Math Help Forum (internet site, can't put URL's in Amazon reviews). That entire time, I was using this calculator.
Also, he is foolish to whine about the + thing not kicking out an immediate answer, this allows you to see the context of where you are, and to edit your calculation, you can go back and fix a mistake, you can modify it after you get your results (it remembers your calculation, you can peruse and edit your history). You can save yourself tons of work if you use this well, and have a record of what you've put in so you can double check your work.
My only complaint is that when dealing with irrational numbers, it isn't smart enough to simplify fractions. ie it can tell you that 20/25 is 4/5 but not that (20 Pi)/25 is (4 Pi)/5. Also, it considers negative to be different from a minus, which is weird for a while.
Other than that, it does everything I needed it to: lets you store values in variables, has combinations, permutations, modulus, roots, exponents, logs, can display in hex binary and octal which got it use in some of my CS courses, trig functions, can use degrees or radians or something else that IDK what it is, does sums (sigma), bitwise operands like xor.
It also has a lot of other stuff on it, that I don't even know what it is. Presumably used in some other fields, but the point is that this list is just the things that I used.
Anyway, I highly recommend it. It was a great price and it completely exceeded my expectations in every way.

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The EL531WB from Sharp is a scientific calculator that performs over 270 advanced functions. Perfect for a wide variety of applications, including math, statistics, biology, chemistry, and more, the EL531WB provides the computational power that today's students require. The two-line LCD has a glass top design that helps keep the display clear and easy to read, while an included hard case helps to protect the calculator from dents and scratches. Powered by two LR44 cell batteries, the EL531WB has an automatic power down feature that helps to conserve battery power. Its Direct Algebraic Logic (DAL) entry lets you easily input equations. The unit comes backed with a one-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box Calculator, two LR44 batteries, hard case, user's manual

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HP 12C Financial Calculator - Black/ Gold Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used the HP 12-C financial calculator virtually every day since I finished my MBA twenty-five years ago. In fact I've still got the same one! Just replace the batteries occasionally.
Some of the finish is worn, there are lots of scuffs and scratches and the little rubber pads on the bottom disappeared at some point. But the print on all the function keys is still perfectly legible (which is more than I can say for a four-year old previously top-of-the-line Dell laptop) and it performs every basic and not so basic present value and other financial calculation you'll ever need. The screen is easy to read, the keys are easy to punch and the flat shape packs in any pocket or bag.
The 12-C is the real deal. Get one!

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12c Financial Calculator

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Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS 2-Line Scientific Calculator Review

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(More customer reviews)Main Points:
I used this calculator for over 10 years before it finally stopped working, and I treated it fairly roughly (e.g.,coffe spills). I think others here have attested to the functionality of the TI-30, so I just want to emphasize that it's a tough little gadget as well. Yes, the buttons are on the small side and there is a bit of play, but this was never a major problem (although at times it slows down data entry). You can go to http://education.ti.com/downloads for a good overview of TI calculators, and you can scope out one of TI's major competitors at http://www.casio.com.
A Little History:
This was also one of the first commercially available low-priced calculators that had two-line display and backspace to correct or edit data entry. The dual-power and scrolling display features were also once unusual. The top line (for data entry) shows up to 11 characters; you can scroll backwards or forwards up to 88! The bottom line (shows results) displays up to a 10-digit answer along with a 2-digit exponent.
Individual Needs Differ:
From the reviews here, it appears that high school math is now more difficult than it once was. If you know that you're going to need graphing capability, then obviously this is not the choice for you. Similarly, the prevalence of laptop computers and math/stats software may obviate the need for some of the more advanced features.
Recommendation:
The layout is very good and, for such a low price, it packs a lot of calculating might. However, high school (or college)students may want to narrow their choices and then ask their teacher which one has the most relevant functions for the next few years of math. Compared to twenty-five or so years ago, one can now get a lot more calculator for the money. Depending on your budget, therefore, you might determine that a calculator like this is sufficient for your short-term needs, but that you'll need a new one if you go on to more advanced stats and math. In any event, this is a durable calculator that works very well.

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New 2-line display.Dual power:solor and battery.View entry abd results at the same time.Edit current entry.Edit and view previous entries.Menus with functions and mode settings.Five variable memories.One and two variable statistics, results, for linear tegression, trendline.Fractions and fraction/decimal conversions.Trigonometric functions in degrees and radians.

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