Scientific Calculator and Algebra CLEP

[hypertweeky]

Hello everyone:

Please don't judge me for the question I am about to ask. I have never used a scientific calculator because the math I have studied is not advanced.
For those who have taken the test. Did you use the calculator a lot? Did it help you to answer questions quicker? Should I learn to use it? I have been doing all the work manually because I don't want to relay on a calculator. I want to make sure I know what I am doing. If I do and then the test is multiple choice, I'd be more prepared.
The CLEP website has a trial on the same calculator that is used for the test. I was thinking perhaps is a good idea to download it and familiarize myself with it.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated

[UptonSinclair]

I don't remember using a calculator for the Algebra Clep at all. It has a bunch of concept based stuff.

[hypertweeky]

I don't remember using a calculator for the Algebra Clep at all. It has a bunch of concept based stuff.

Thank you! How long ago did you take it? Are you good at math? I am asking because if you are, your opinion about its difficulty is going to be different than someone who sucks at math (like me lol)
Everyone in this forum always has been very helpful! I don't know why I was worried I would be judged. It must be my mathematics fear doing the talk

[UptonSinclair]

I tested at the Elementary Algebra level when I began my math journey last year. I worked through elementary and intermediate algebra on Aleks before taking the clep and just barely passed. I should have spent more time understanding the content than I did. There is no good answer to the difficulty because we are all different.

[LaterBloomer]

First, make sure that you check the test web site to figure out what kind (if any) calculator can be used. Second, as a fellow math-phobe, and one who is easily intimidated by calculators, I feel your pain. (Un)fortunately, our society isn't very judgemental of those of us who are bad at math. If you said, "I just can't read," and you didn't have some sort of condition that made it extremely difficult, folks would look at you funny. Say you're bad at math? We're given a pass. With that said, have you tried youtube? Figure out which calculator can be used, and that you might be interested in, and see if they have a video about it. That's how I learned to use my calculator for statistics. (Even with its pink color, I was intimidated by it.) If you don't like the first instructor on the video, keep searching until you find a video that suits your learning style. Good luck. College Algebra is my VERY last course before my BSBA, and my math-phobia is the reason.

[cookderosa]

Judge you!? Not around here!
If it makes you feel better, I've never taken college algebra (let alone attempted to test out of it) but I did end up testing out of statistics! For that, I broke down and bought my first scientific calculator- whatever kind someone recommended, no idea now; but let me say that WOW these things are pretty cool once you go through the booklet and learn how to use them. So, while I don't know about algebra using calculators, if you're going to try stats, you can use one and it was super handy. (Like you, I was doing everything long hand, even standard deviations. Those problems take a whole sheet of paper and FOREVER to work through. So, imagine my SHOCK when my new nifty calculator did it with 1 button. <gulp!> )

[hypertweeky]

Laterbloomer LOL your post got me laughing! thank you for your feedback. It is MUCH appreciated and NEEDED!!

Let us know how you do when you take the test!! Good luck!

[hypertweeky]

Jennifer:

I am so glad to hear I am not the only one with a fear for anything related to math. My husband has a scientific calculator and I have glanced it a few times, but I get REALLY bad anxiety, lol. I am such a baby!!
I am glad to hear you put it at good use and that statistics makes sense I do not know if I am going to test out of statistics.. it seems like a much harder exam than algebra!
Thank you for your feedback!!!!! I am cracking up

[dfrecore]

Funny story about scientific calculators: when I was in high school, we had a trig teacher who was pretty old. She had been teaching at the school for at least 30 years. We were required to buy a specific scientific calculator for the class, the TI-something-or-other. Why that calculator? Because it was the one SHE knew, and could help us with. Every student had the exact same calculator every year, until that was phased out and the new version would come out. And she would learn that one because she had to. So, even if you aren't math-phobic (she certainly wasn't), you might be calculator-challenged!

Still have that calculator, by the way. $75 well-spent (graduated hs in 88). My husband still has his too!

[cookderosa]

Jennifer:

I am so glad to hear I am not the only one with a fear for anything related to math. My husband has a scientific calculator and I have glanced it a few times, but I get REALLY bad anxiety, lol. I am such a baby!!
I am glad to hear you put it at good use and that statistics makes sense I do not know if I am going to test out of statistics.. it seems like a much harder exam than algebra!
Thank you for your feedback!!!!! I am cracking up

Let me assure you, it's not fear, it's lack of intuition. (which maybe feels like fear?) Here is a test.
Can you solve this? 6+4= ?
Now read this:
"Mrs. Donald's second grade class had four green markers, three pencils, and two rulers. When Mr. Sal's children donated a box of supplies, they were given an additional twelve rulers, three pencils, and six red markers. The janitor collected all rulers except for one. If color doesn't matter, how many markers does Mrs. Donald's class have now?"

The math is the same, but the intuition about how to derive an answer in the story problem requires an ability beyond doing 6+4. I used to teach culinary math, and it's arithmetic, but all story problems. (like life!) I knew my students struggled with story problems, but didn't understand why. I only really started to understand all of this when I started to teach my own children elementary math. My children would learn their math facts, but it sometimes took years later before they could really do well on the same "math" if it was in story problem form. The story problem above requires reading comprehension, being able to sort out relevant and irrelevant numbers, the ability to put written numbers into their numeric symbol, to understand that this is addition, etc.... You have to know how to put the number sentence in the correct order (if this were subtraction or division, knowing "what minus what" or "what goes into what").

People who spend a long time doing math develop math intuition (usually) while those of us who didn't/don't. Just looking for the answer and not KNOWING if the answer fits is probably the biggest issue.

I only took minimal math in school, so I feel like I haven't had enough contact hours "doing" it. I am completing algebra with my kids, but I rely heavily on notes. I have very good arithmetic intuition, but that's where it stops. I think if I were required to earn the credit, I'd do better taking the class just because of the time and access to notes. If I had another 10 years... lol