So, what can I do with a Ti-89 Titanium?

In My Humble Opinion
1

For Valentine’s Day I got a Ti-89 Titanium. I know it is a bit of overkill for me, but I like it.

I am a college student, and currently the class I am using it the most in is Chemistry. I feel I am not getting the most out of it. I can do basic math functions on it, but that is about it. Is there a way to store commonly used equations in the calculator itself? This is allowed, my prof gives us the equations on exams, but we need to know how to use them. I’m talking about stuff like PV=nRT (not like I’d forget that equation, but some of the others are a bit more involved).

I have read the manual (the things I could understand), and it seems like it is capable of doing these things.

This is my first Ti calculator, so I don’t know much about using it. Most of the stuff in the manual is going over my head right now.

Can I put a game or two on it? How do I do that?

I feel like I need a class just to operate this calculator. I know I will be using it a lot in the future, I am a science major.

2

Ti-89 is useless in most chemistry courses in my experience. A $10 scientific calculator will work better for many chem courses, the Ti-89 is more for calculus, linear algebra and other advanced math courses.

Press ‘apps’ (in pink on the keypad) and scroll until you get to ‘notefolio’. Start a new one and type in all the equations in that one. To get back into it just click on ‘current’. To not have to hit the alpha button each time you use an a-z key press 2nd then press ‘alpha’ (the white key adjacent to the 2nd key) and type using that.

I don’t know how to put a game in mine. I was going to but I kept hearing it can crash yoru calculator so I said screw that, i’ll just get a gameboy on ebay instead.

3

they also make great paper-weights. That’s what my $150 TI calculator became the second I was no longer in school/college. :smack:

4

Take a look at www.ticalc.org, they have a large collection of calculator software, along with some good tutorials on how you actually get the stuff on the calculator. You’ll need to either make your own cable (roughly $5) or buy one from TI (~$20). I had a lot of fun with my TI-83+ back in high school, before I bought an actual PDA. Enjoy!

Oh, and install “falldown”. Best time-waster ever.

5

Use the built-in programming abilities to write an evil AI.

6

Ebay will turn it into some spending cash for hiring midgets and clowns to entertain you. Alternatively, you can take your calculator loot it to a local college coffee shop and pay some cash short liberal arts coeds in sweats, hairbands, and sneakers to dance a merry little sidewalk jig for you. Seeing them flounce around like trained organ grinder monkeys for a 10 or 20 bill… well that’s priceless.

7

The TI’s use BASIC, which is probably one of the easiest languages to learn. You could try to write a simple Hangman or Tic Tac Toe program or something.

You’ll probably want to store some useful constants. (Hint: 6.02E23**->**A)

8

Thanks, I went to that site. I have a cable and the Ti Connect software, so it will be easy. Lots of games there!

I am not very impressed with the Ti Connect software, honestly. When I hooked up my calc it said a newer version of the OS software was available, 3.0.1 as opposed to 3.0.0 that was on my calc. I decided to upgrade. I hit the button that said “upgrade” and a box popped up for my email and password. I hadn’t registered my calc yet so I pressed the button that said “sign me up”. It took me to a page not found. So I figured by going directly to the Ti site there would be a registration place so I could do that and be able to upgrade to a newer OS.

I followed the only registration directions I could find - they said go to the home page and follow the sign in link in the upper left corner. There is no such link on the Ti home page. I went back to search the site and found a download link for OS 3.0.1 and tried it anyways. After about three tries I did manage to successfully get the newer OS, but after I restarted my calc half my apps were gone! I reloaded them from the disk, and I hope I got all the original ones back on there.

9

I’ll have to say, Wesley, that isn’t very true for tons of situations…

*Ever needed to get the concentration of hydrogen in an acid/base reaction? Go to algebra, solve, insert your equation, press “=”, enter your Ksp, place “,” “space” “x” “)” and hit enter. Boom, your value is given.

That works for any sort of equilibrium expression, for that matter.

*You can use Notes to type out your equations. I do not own the Titanium, but it is possible to write out your equations using the notepad. I’ll search if need be.

*Using the conversion factors, you can convert from many different units. I think there is even the AMU and mol, if I am not mistaken. They even have the value of c stored.

*It is even possible, since the Titanium has an infared port, to control TV devices and whatever else. As above, since I do not have an infared port on mine, I’ll search if need be for the application.