Calculators for Course 2

[VernSchil]

Right now I have the TI-30X which I used for Course 1. I hear the BA-35 and BA II Plus have a bunch of interest functions. I would imagine this would come in extremely handy, but from people who've taken course 2 and used these calculators, just how useful are they? And if these financial calculators do have such an advantage over the 30X such that it would warrant me buying one, which one do you all think is more useful. I'd be using this calculator for the exam(s) only, as I use an HP-12c for work related calculation.

[avocadoboy]

In my opinion it is a definite advantage to have one of these financial calculators, and when you consider that they only cost $20 - $25 I can't imagine why anyone would not want to buy one. Sure you can do the problems without it, but in the exam your scraping for every mininute you can, and having a calculator that does present values and future values will save you time.

I've got the BA35 battery(old style), BA35, TI30XIIS, and the new BA35 Plus. The BA35 Plus is hands down the best of the bunch. Get two.

glenn

[Summer]

I have had so many of those calculators and have lost them all (I think I have had at least 6). If i can't find one around the house before my exam, I am definitely buying one.

I think it just lessens the calculation time, adn on these exams, the more time you have the better.

[Alya]

Originally Posted by LPorter33

Right now I have the TI-30X which I used for Course 1. I hear the BA-35 and BA II Plus have a bunch of interest functions. I would imagine this would come in extremely handy, but from people who've taken course 2 and used these calculators, just how useful are they? And if these financial calculators do have such an advantage over the 30X such that it would warrant me buying one, which one do you all think is more useful. I'd be using this calculator for the exam(s) only, as I use an HP-12c for work related calculation.

Are you going to calculate all " a double dots" by hand? If you think you will have that much time ... I don't know if they still give this type of questions, but what if you need to back into interest rate from annuity? Don't think you can do this w/o a calculator. By the way, you will need same BA-35 for C3, C4 (statistics), C5 (pension annuities), ... So it looks like a good investment.

And if you are working (pension consulting?), so why not let your employer get you a nice $25 present?

[Avi]

Well, right now I'm studying for Course 2 (or I should be at least) and I find it simpler to work with the TI-30X IIS than the BA II Plus. Somehow I find the plethora of options confuses me on the II Plus with beginning and end etc. If I just plug the formulas into the 30X IIS I usually find my accuracy is higher even though it does take more time.

--Avi

[Macroman]

It's more important to learn the material than the calculator. It's still very important to know how to use a financial calculator, and it's actually not all that easy.

Don't figure that you will want to work out all the problems longhand when it comes to the exam or you'll be sorry

[VernSchil]

Well, my BA-35 came in today, and much to my dismay I noticed that the nPr and nCr keys seem to be missing. From people who've already studied for and/or taken course 2, are there keys such as nPr and nCr that would commonly require utilization during the actual Course 2 exam that are missing from the BA-35 but present on a scientific calculator like the Ti-30x? I'll be annoyed if I have to go order a 30x again ( I already gave my old one to a co-worker) Thanks.

[Bama Gambler]

Well, my BA-35 came in today, and much to my dismay I noticed that the nPr and nCr keys seem to be missing. From people who've already studied for and/or taken course 2, are there keys such as nPr and nCr that would commonly require utilization during the actual Course 2 exam that are missing from the BA-35 but present on a scientific calculator like the Ti-30x? I'll be annoyed if I have to go order a 30x again ( I already gave my old one to a co-worker) Thanks.

You will not need those keys for course 2, but they do help (a little) for course 3.

[Bama Gambler]

Well, right now I'm studying for Course 2 (or I should be at least) and I find it simpler to work with the TI-30X IIS than the BA II Plus. Somehow I find the plethora of options confuses me on the II Plus with beginning and end etc. If I just plug the formulas into the 30X IIS I usually find my accuracy is higher even though it does take more time.

--Avi

Learn how to use the calculator!!! I can work 90% of the interest theory problems with out picking up a pencil. This gives you a lot of extra time to figure out those tricky finance, micro, and macro problems. In fact, I finished the exam in less than 3 hours. I left the exam room 45 minutes early. I got a 9. I learned how to use the calculator from Bob Batten.

I love the Crimson Tide!!
Bama Gambler