When do students begin using a graphing calculator?
Beginning in 9th grade, students regularly use a graphing calculator at school. Students taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade may be allowed a calculator in class but they do not get to use one on the TAKS test. What kind of calculator is best? In Texas, the most common calculators used in area high schools are the Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus or TI-84 models. These models are approved for TAKS, SAT, ACT and most college courses. Before purchasing a calculator it is a good idea to get a recommendation from the teacher. What are TAKS rules for calculator use? Calculators may only be used on high school TAKS tests (grades 9,10 and 11). The test is designed for calculator use so the rules state that each student ‘must have a calculator’ for the entire test. The school will ensure that every student has a calculator on the test. Any calculator may be used as long as it does not have a QWERTY (typewriter-style) keyboard or CAS (Computer Algebra System) which can solve algebraic equations. The memo
