Is Scientific Calculators still up and running? [closed]

I've been a civil/structural engineer for over 20 years. My HP 48GX recently completed its last calculation. So I started looking for an alternative and it seems it's the case that sales for graphing/scientific calculators is changing.

My question: Are smartphones becoming the replacement for calculators in the world of engineering and all one needs to do is purchase a " graphing calculator" application?

(I am not referring to the open sourced HP48 app)engineering-generalShareImprove this questionFollowedited Dec 19 '19 at 6:25slm10344 bronze badgesasked Feb 23 '17 at 7:39SlydeRule1,20611 gold badge1111 silver badges2222 bronze badges

• There is a good chance they'll still sell many of the older graphing calculators (I've still seen TI-84s that sell for around $150 CDN). In the light of this, since you've mentioned it, I'm not sure why there would be much of a market now. A context where you couldn't make use of them is in exams at school. You could also have issues when any of the features are connected directly to Internet and there is no signal. It's a good question, but I'm curious about the usefulness of calculators when everyone carries around computers these days. - JMac Feb 23 '17 at 10:52
• However, according to @JMac, exams for school, and math classes in general , are in which students are required to use scientific graphing calculators in some cases and in some cases, but they're required. My son who is a sophomore in highschool, is using a TI-NSPIRE CX given by the school to utilize in class and during tests for his math classes. - DLS3141 Feb 23 '17 at 15:20
• 2. This question is simply soliciting a list of opinions. It is recommended that you can use the one you're comfortable with. There is nothing that has changed in engineering which means a slide rule is no longer acceptable. It's entirely up to what you're comfortable and confident with. For quick and simple calculations there is no difference between pencil and paper, or a computer simulation. - hazzey Feb 23 '17 at 15:23
• @DLS3141 Sorry, but there was confusion in my language. I meant exams were a context where you couldn't use smartphones, just not graphing calculators. The rule of thumb for exams in which graphing calculators are allowed is that the device can't communicate with the internet. However, it is common once you get to university certain professors will limit calculators to 2-line displays which means that students won't be able to plot graphs with the calculator instead of handwriting them. It is largely dependent on the context of what you are teaching. - JMac Feb 23 '17 at 15:35
• 1@DLS3141 for a public school setting that's all well and great, but schools typically don't provide graphing calculators which means you cannot actually guarantee a system that works. The communication functions are pretty cool though. There were docking stations available in high school for TI-83+'s with a feature like that. The tests were interactive, it was awesome. - JMac Feb 23 '17 at 20:15

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If I'm at work, I'm working with a laptop computer with internet connectivity right in front of me as well as a smartphone with a scientific calculator app installed inside my purse.

If I'm in need of some calculations quickly, I'll continue to use my old calculator that I've owned for around 24 years now (it still has a sticker on the back saying that it's suitable to use it in university tests).

I have found that the physical keys are quicker and less error prone to use . It just makes it feel more normal. And while the actual processing speed is only a small fraction of the other models I've used, it's enough for the job and battery life is far better (So far , I'm averaging one AAA per 10 years.)

If it did die, I'd surely find a replacement. But I think the market for replacements is a lot smaller nowadays in my opinion, and if I did not use frequently, I'd probably do with the smart phone application myself.ShareImprove This answer was answered on February 23rd 2017 at 12:31 Andrew 76633 silver badges99 bronze badgesAdd a note3

IMHO an app such as wolfram alpha can easily replace a calculator. There are other advantages too:

1. The possibility of integration to other applications. E.g. Save the results and transfer those results back to your laptop for further analysis.
2. Additional functionality, for example, 3D plotting.
3. You do not require an additional device since you have your phone with you.

The reasons why you should continue to use the calculator:

1. It's much faster to utilize. The HMI is specially designed for formulating equations.
2. You don't need an internet connection.
3. Battery life is more reliable.

Follow this link to improve this answer 17 at 11:21jos 37322 silver badges77 bronze badges

• 1And some schools use calculators instead of computers or mobile phones to avoid communication (though it is possible to avoid communication via computers at school is also possible). - Karlo Feb 23 '17 at 11:34
• 2@Karlo From my experience, some courses aren't even allowing graphing calculators for tests. Often you're expected to have basic scientific functions and everything else you can work out in your head (and knowing what a graph would appear like without using a calculator is an extremely useful ability). - JMac Feb 23 '17 at 11:43
• @JMac Indeed, some courses are with (graphical) calculators while others are manually, possibly with some tables. - Karlo Feb 23 '17 at 11:51

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A calculator, today, is more concerned with giving school exams in a sandbox rather than calculating. Every general purpose computer could do the same with fewer restrictions, which includes your phone. When you're seated on your desktop , you should be using your desktop.

Although it is true that calculators calculator could have a superior touch-sensitive interface than your phone. It's not a huge benefit in the event that your phone integrates into all of your systems and more quickly. It is possible to find FEM statics, FEM and other specific apps. Even if you don't, you can network with your smartphone and utilize mathematica, matlab abaqus, mathematica... that are accessible on the computer you work on.

This means that you can save calculations to use later as well as documentation that is nicely typeset etc. This means you spend less time switching between different systems to reduce the transfer of errors.

So the answer to the question is: No. There is only a small usage for a calculator Most people reach for the calculator simply out of habit, rather than benefit.ShareImprove this answerFollowedited Feb 24 '17 at 7:09, and answered Feb 24 '17, 7:01 joojaa 3 22011 gold badge1010, silver badges2626 and bronze badgesAdd an answer to 1

The market has certainly evolved: HP only has 8 calculatorson their website site and the hp50g (the final descendant of the HP48 series - or the hp28 series if we go even further back) was pulled in the year 2015.

all one needs to buy is the "graphing calculator" app?

I use and have an emulator for HP48 within my cellphone, but it's not as good as the real thing, so I have two of them that I am constantly using - one mostly at the office, one at home. I have an hp48sx that I bought in college and is now more than 20 years old. I also have an hp48G that I purchased from Craigslist around five years ago.

In spite of a smartphone having an expansive screen however, the user interface on the real HP48 is more appealing - the positive feeling to button presses as well as the absence of swiping problems are the two things I find most beneficial about the real calculator. Simply turning it on is more user-friendly for the calculatorto press the button that turns it on, but no unlocking, just swiping the right screen, etc.

For a simple four-function calculator, I'd rather use an old HP over a phone. I own a lot of outdated calculators and at different times I've used an hp34c or an hp12c - even equipped with LEDs, they will last longer on the back of an AA. (I'd use my 28S or 41CV except that N cell batteries can be quite a nuisance.)