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[Tellemurius]

Wow, my college prohibited calculators for classes and tests

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Oh, how I remember when I was young how they said "you can't carry a calculator with you for the rest of your life!". How the tables have turned.

[da_nang]

Wow, my college prohibited calculators for classes and tests

I assume it was all done with slide rulers and log books, then? Engineering graduates would've had a hard time without them I'd imagine.

Speaking of which, do they hand out the formula handbooks in other countries or are you required to memorize them. No specific formulas just the general/context-free ones like trig, integrals, transforms, algebra (scalar, vector, matrix) and geometry etc. Because they do here.

(Although there have been instances of lower academic standards, which I've thankfully refused to lower myself to. And I still aced the tests.)

Oh, how I remember when I was young how they said "you can't carry a calculator with you for the rest of your life!". How the tables have turned.

The log tables sure have. We did abandon them after all so now they're forcing us to live with calculators instead. Out of spite, of course.

[Dutchling]

We only got a list with the names of proofs / theories / whatever, so we could back up our math.

[da_nang]

We only got a list with the names of proofs / theories / whatever, so we could back up our math.

Name only?

I'm sitting on 100+ pages of LaTeX formulas.

[Bouchart]

What math class is that?  I majored in math in college and I don't remember using a calculator that much.  Probably didn't need anything more than a 4-function for most of it.

[da_nang]

Seeing as I'm majoring in computer engineering (software engineering), engineering maths is kinda a requisite. Not necessarily as abstract as a maths major, but it can get cumbersome and complex. Although we do occasionally have MATLAB.

Never thought I'd pull out Lambert W in a math class once, but I did because I could. Although, that once's not in the handbook so it was off the top of my head.

[Bouchart]

Actually my question was for BlackFlyme.

Most of my math courses were theoretical in nature, but with some probability and statistics that involved some algebra and calculus, which I was already good at coming out of high school.  Also I majored in economics and that was mostly basic algebra with a little calculus here and there.

[Tellemurius]

i assume the engineering math classes still use them but those of us down on the bottom we need to learn our maths

[BlackFlyme]

Business mathematics class. We were given a handful of formulas at the beginning, but only for simple interest. The stuff we are being given now does not come with equations.

I borrowed a classmate's calculator to see what exactly it had that made it so special. It only has a handful of buttons that normal ones do not, though I may be guessing their functions wrong. I know for sure that they simply record what number is associated with what function, and use that to calculate for you.

Code: [Select]

[P/Y] for payments per year
[I/Y] for the amount of interest per year
[N] for the number of interest compoundings per year
[Pv] the present value
[Fv] the future value and
[PMT] for what we pay per payment
Assuming I haven't forgotten any others, but it is strictly made for business calculations. Meanwhile, my calculator:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Was over-hyped by me in my tired state. It still does what I said it can do, but retrieving a function is a bit finicky. It will forget a function if you alter ones previous to it, and the functions will be lost if you hit clear or if it powers off. Still, I was able to get through my engineering classes just fine with it.

[Bouchart]

I'm surprised you aren't using Excel for a business mathematics class.  It seems much better suited for it.

[MagmaMcFry]

Speaking of which, do they hand out the formula handbooks in other countries or are you required to memorize them. No specific formulas just the general/context-free ones like trig, integrals, transforms, algebra (scalar, vector, matrix) and geometry etc. Because they do here.

I'm from Germany, and in school's math finals we did actually have a cleared programmable graphical calculator and a formula handbook available, but only in one half of the exam. Now I'm in university, and we no longer use formulas (since formulas are used for calculation, not for maths).

The funny thing about formulas is that they are actually made for non-mathematicians, since formulas are basically results of VERY (and I repeat, VERY) elementary mathematics. This makes every half-decent mathematician able to instantly derive an entire formula handbook's worth of formulas at their leisure, which means that they don't actually need to use or memorize a formula handbook.

[Descan]

Oh hey I went over those recently. Hm.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I just got an email,

I just got an email,

I just got an email,

I wonder who it's fro-

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Dear Students at Appalachian State University,

The N.C. General Assembly made significant changes to the Sales and Use Tax Code during its 2013 General Session.  One of the changes will have an impact on how much students pay for meals at universities in North Carolina.

Previously, students at institutions of higher learning in North Carolina were exempt from paying sales tax when they purchased food on campus.  However, the N.C. General Assembly repealed this sales tax exemption during its recent General Session. The repeal is effective January 1, 2014.

The repeal of this sales tax exemption means that Appalachian must increase the cost of its meal plan options in order to have the funds available to pay the sales tax.

The sales tax required will be 6.75%.  Sales tax will be reflected in the billing for Meal Plan Options for the upcoming spring semester.  This billing will take place in November 2013.  The table below indicates the change in meal plan option prices with the addition of state sales tax.

Meal Option
   

Price per Semester

Low Option
   

$895 previous plan without sales tax.

$955 with state sales tax added.

Standard Option
   

$1,120 previous plan without sales tax.

$1,195 with state sales tax added.

High Option
   

$1,295 previous plan without sales tax.

$1,385 with state sales tax added.

Super Option
   

$1,580 previous plan without sales tax.

$1,685 with state sales tax added.

Sales tax on all food purchases will charged at the point of sale.  For purchases made using a meal plan, this means that sales tax will be subtracted from the student’s meal plan account at each purchase.

Any increase in cost is unwelcome news, but we want you to have this information as you budget for spring semester.

ಠ_ಠ

That's it. Before I hated the Republican Party on an ideological basis. Now it's personal.

[da_nang]

Get Katia to tableflip them into orbit.