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53 of 55 found the following review helpful:
4 1/2 Durable and Inexpensive! Oct 29, 2004
By M. Allen Greenbaum
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.
41 of 42 found the following review helpful:
 Got me from pre-algebra to pre-calc Oct 03, 2005
By Katy B
This is probably the best calculator for middle to high school kids. I got mine in seventh grade and it was all I needed until calculus. In fact, we weren't even allowed to use graphing calculators until pre-calc. I held off getting one until calculus, though, because my TI-30XIIS did everything i needed it to and was so easy to use.
The best thing:
-you can enter entire expressions and solve them. this is because, unlike earlier models, functions like sine, cosine, tangent, square root, etc. are entered before the number. for example, with other models you would punch in 45 and hit tan, and it would automatically give you the answer 1. With the 30XIIS, however, you press tan, then 1, then enter. It seems like a disadvantage at first, but when you are doing more complicated math and need to enter a whole line of info, it's a huge time-saver.
Other good things:
-You can go back and substitute other numbers into your expression. This is great when you are doing guess-and-check work, but it was most useful in chemistry and physics, when I had to use the same formula with a lot of different values. I was really bummed to discover the graphing calculators didn't have the ability to go back to an expression you've already solved.
-The buttons are arranged really logically. There were about three buttons grouped together up in the corner that I never used (I think they're maybe for statistics), but they were totally out of the way. When you're doing trig, all the buttons you need are near each other. Same with logs and everything else. After using this calculator for a while, you can key things in so fast. Hitting 2nd [ans] is like a reflex now.
Bad things:
-The buttons were a little loose after about my third year with my TI-30XIIS. this didn't cause any problems with how it worked (at least in the next two years), but the buttons were sort of crooked in their slots. Again, only an aesthetic issue. This didn't affect the performance at all.
-Sometimes, if you don't hit clear before you start your expression, it will use your last answer as the first number in your new equation. This isn't much of a problem, b/c it only happens due to operator error, and hitting clear becomes reflexive. It'll happen to you, I promise. Honestly, if you looked around during a test when i was in algebra II, you would see at least one person unconsciously mashing the clear button. which also attests to the durability of this calculator.
So, that is the TI-30XIIS from the perspective of a high school student. basically, it is the best calculator i've ever owned, far superior in basic math to my TI-84+. And it's incredibly cheap. Calculating just doesn't get any better than this.
24 of 26 found the following review helpful:
User friendly calcualtor May 31, 2003
By Eddie
Nice to finally see TI step into the two-line solar calculator market. Very easy to use and the buttons have a solid feel. I also like the large display so you can easily see both the equation and the answer.Why did it give the TI-30 II only four stars? For the same price, there are good two-line calcs (Casio FX-115 MS for example) which include a larger library of functions (base calculations, integrals, derivates, solve function) for the same amount of money.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Great, Standard Scientific Calculator Sep 04, 2007
By Jason B.
"ebays-cyclonechem"
When I was taking courses in calculus and physics, I used the TI-86 because it had more functions and was more powerful, for the kind of math that was needed.
However, the TI30XIIS is an excellent scientific calculator. It has most of the functions of a scientific calculator, with the scrollable screen that lets you check your numbers before multiplying, and perform many operations using the "Ans" function. As an organic chemist, it's the only calculator I need when it comes to doing simple chemistry calculations, which involve a lot of basic operations.
If you need to do derivates, integrals, polynomials, etc, then you should get something more powerful. If you just want a calculator to do your basic math yet allow you to check your numbers with ease, then this is a great calculator to have.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Fantastic! Don't buy a graphing calculator! Oct 16, 2007
By Nathaniel Hawkins
Working towards BS in physics; after years of using my TI-86 I figured it'd be rational to get a solar backup just in case I was ever in a jam for an exam. Not needing something exceptional (yet) like a TI-89 or one with graphing capabilities (that I'd actually use), I settled on this bargain calculator. After I tried it out, I did some reflection and felt absolutely disgusted that I wasted ~$100 on my TI-86 when I could've gotten all I needed for <$20, and of course by "need" I'm pointing towards saving time on simple time-consuming math. This calculator, meant to be my backup, replaced my TI-86. It has everything I need, is well laid out and doesn't require batteries.
I remember entering algebra in K-12 hearing "you'll need a TI-83+ graphing calculator"... oh my, what a lie! Honestly, this is all you will ever need if you're not going above and beyond calculus. Using a graphing calculator is also horrible practise for introducing algebraic concepts. Keep it simple and you'll learn more, not that this is necessarily a "simple" calculator! The main thing you won't have is graphing, the less important chapters of algebra to boot. Besides, how hard is it to plot a few points on a coordinate plane and draw lines? Things like polynomials you should be able to do with ease, unless you're one of those procrastinating/lazy types who could care less. I suppose if it's all too excruciating, spend the extra $50 and cheat yourself.
The only thing that caught me off guard was that my TI-30 cover is a dark blue instead of black, but I'm hardly complaining! Minus 0.1 star, but 4.9 stars rounds to 5.
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