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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 64 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 found the following review helpful:
 Great calculator - needs better user guide Jun 01, 2005
By Julius Nadas
"Julius"
The Fx 115 MS is the most powerful non-graphing calculator I have used. It is ideal for non Math students who are required to take an intermediate college algebra class. Unfortunately the single sheet of instructions are insufficient for the type of student that would benefit the most from it. I have put up a web site for my intermediate algebra students that tries to explain to them how to take advantage of its many features: http://faculty.ccc.edu/jnadas/graduate/CASIO.fx115ms.HTM
23 of 23 found the following review helpful:
 Good, full-featured but a little short. . . Feb 07, 2008
By Ozzy081
I bought the 115es originally, and for some reason, NCEES disallowed it from the FS/FE exams, so i also got the 115ms. Note, NCEES appears to be allowing the es again; the approved Casio model has to be a FX-115 model, no designation as to it having to be the ms.
So the ms is very nice! Very clear, crisp display, intuitive keyboard, these things being better than the es. The ms is also full-featured, having solve & calc functions (very handy), ability to do derivatives, integrals, quad & cubic equations, solve simult equations of up to 3 unknowns, full statistics capability, etc. But the ms will basically be relegated to being my backup to the 115es, because the es does everything the ms does, and has unit conversions, scientific contants, matrix, table, and vector capability; in addition to being more user-friendly in toggling between the desired mode of operation or setup style.
I'm really not sure why Casio offers 2 such similar platforms, separated by a minimal price. . . i mean for the money, why wouldn't you get the 115es? Hopefully, NCEES will not exclude the es from its approved list again (totally don't know why they did in the first place). But comparing either casio model to the approved texas instruments models, or the HP models, the casios offer great value & practicality, without a huge learning curve.
If you're not remotely concerned w/ any of this NCEES speak (i don't blame you), buck up to the 115es. For a few $$ more than the ms, it provides a lot more features.
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Casio FX-115MS, a very good calculator May 10, 2007
By C. LIN
"Formosan"
I have been a faithful user of the HP 48G since 1995. However I needed a calculator that is permitted on the EIT exam. Since I am comfortable with Reverse Polish Notation entry format, my first inclination was to look for a HP product that is approved for the exam. However after reading the reviews on-line and seeing the price of the HP33S, I decided to look for an alternative. The TI 30XIIs and the Casio fx-115MS were viable options at a better price. I bought both of the TI and the Casio for comparison.
Both calculators are about the same size, approximately 6"(T)X 3"(W)x1/2"(D). The feel of the buttons/keys on the TI was a bit dull when pressed. The Casio keys had slightly more engaged-feel when depressed. The engaged-button feel helps when I am keying numbers without looking at the screen to know whether the calculator took the string of digits and operators correctly. The color scheme employed for button labeling on the TI does not make the "2nd" functions stand out. This is made worse by the shadow cast by the tall buttons, which make the lettering for the "2nd" functions harder to read. The Casio uses fairly distinctive colors for lettering and function schemes. This makes it easier and faster to find the correct key.
I find that for engineering problems, Casio had more built in buttons. Thus I don't have to always use "shift" or "2nd" functions. I also liked the layout of the buttons on the Casio. I feel it is a bit easier to find the right keys, due to more logical key placement for certain functions. On the TI, I have to spend more time hunting down the button.
A few reviewers have noted that the Casio manual that comes with calculator to be mediocre. That is also my perception after reading through the manual. The TI came with a manual and a practice guide. The TI manual is more thorough and sequential in presenting the information. The TI practice guide presents some simple problems and show the keys that need to be pressed. This helps get the user to become familiar with the key layout and input sequence.
To overcome the mediocre Casio manual, I searched on the internet and found a tutorial on how to use the fx-115ms written by a math instructor for his or her students. The tutorial is fairly detailed and easy to follow.
Overall, both the TI 30XIIs and the Casio fx-115MS are very capable calculators. However I found the Casio to be more suitable for my needs. I would give this Casio product somewhere between 4.5 to 5 stars.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Powerful, Excellent Value Jan 21, 2006
By Nick Tropiano
This powerful non-graphing calculator has over 300 functions, a two line display, and you pretty much enter algebraic expressions as they're written (just be careful to use parenthesis and order of operations). An overlooked feature is its dual power mode. If there's enough room light it runs off solar power, preserving batteries. No worries of the juice going during your final. (I'll take this feature this over extraneous, additional, functions of that new Sharp calculator.) This calc has MORE than enough in terms of functions, power, and various equasion, complex number, and statistical modes. In terms of pure number crunching power, this calculator blows everything else away in its price range, except perhaps the latest Sharp. A co-worker who has a Master's in math took a look at this and told me it's all the calculator you need, all the way up through graduate school.
Just note that this is NOT a symbolic algebra calculator - that is, it will attempt to solve for (multiple) variables, as in X=2.453. However it won't expand, group, or simplify algebraic expressions. Don't expect to enter (a+b)^2 and get a^2+2AB+b^2 back, or vice versa. For that, you'll need the much pricier TI-89 or TI-92 Plus, which has a symbolic algebra mode.
However, if you want the most bang for your buck, go with this over the lower-end TI's (imo) and others. Much more power for the same money, and this is very nicely designed.
Documentation is spartan but it'll get you there. Just have a magnifying glass handy or download the PDF file from Casio's site. The upside of having a small fold-out user guide is that you can always have it near your calculator. I keep mine rubberbanded to the calculator's case, so it goes where my calculator goes. (Having a 260 page book would negate the calculator's portability, wouldn't it?)
Some nice math instructor of few reviews down put together a great supplemental document for this calculator with some good examples. Highly recommended if you buy this calculator (and thank you).
Excellent product. Subtract a point for not having a more detailed downloadable user's guide with more examples on Casio's website. I can see not wanting to drive up the price by including a paperback book, but c'mon, Casio. It's 2006! We have the Internets and pdfs now!
20 of 21 found the following review helpful:
another impressed engineer Jan 23, 2005
By Voltron the Engineer
This thing is a fully functional engineering grade calculator. I purchased this calculator a year ago for taking the Professional Engineering exam (The TI-89 was banned last year) and I figured that I better get use to using it if I were to use it on the test. It was simple to use. It was quick, it was powerful. The linear equation solver was faster to use than the one of the 89 which really impressed me (great for solving electrical circuits).
Overall, I highly recommend this calculator.
It has now become my primary calculator at work.
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