mstcrow5429 Wrote:Recommendations, meant.

I'm looking for recommended calculators for the DSST Principles of Statistics exam. My day to day calculator is a TI-85 from high school many years ago, and obviously, the TI-85 is sufficiently advanced as to be barred from the exam criteria for allowed calculators. Basically, I'm looking for the most advanced and capable calculator possible allowed under the exam (partly as I like automation, such as with nPr, nCr, etc, and partly as I just like calculators). What calculator(s) have others found best for the exam? Preferably overpowered ones. Thanks.

Acceptable calculator guidelines:
"An approved calculator is any commercially produced calculator that is battery or solar operated, silent, handheld, nonprogrammable and does not have either a full alphabetic display or a graphical display." - Candidate Information Bulletin

What's a "full alphabetic display?"

They should be clearer on what programming means, as any interaction with the calculator's software is technically programming. Finding 1+1 is programming.

snazzlefrag Wrote:Hi Mstcrow,

I used, and still swear by, the Texas Instruments BAII+ calculator. I found it equally helpful for both the Statistics and the Principles of Finance exam.

The BAII+ can work with one and two variable statistics, and can be used to solve the following types of problems without much difficulty:

Mean
Correlation Coefficient
Coefficient of Determination
Coefficient of Non-determination
Permutations
Combinations
Variance
Standard Deviation
Root Mean Square
Slope of a Regression Line
Y-intercept of a Regression Line
Standard Error of the Estimate
Standard Error of the Mean

Of course, there is a learning curve with the calculator. I was extremely intimidated by it when I first bought it ($30ish). But I started with the basics and kept going until I knew how to do most of the above statistics problems like the back of my hand.

I can highly recommend the BAII+ if you have the patience to learn how to use it.

Hope that helps,
Snazzlefrag