Re: HP 33s for non-engineers Message #4 Posted by bill platt on 3 May 2004, 4:56 p.m., in response to message #3 by Dave Olson
Hi Dave,
I used an 11c all through college, including physics, and it was a splendid tool. I replaced it with a 32sii, which was really the same, only better, especially for programming.
The 33s has all the features of the 32sii, with a lot of additional memory, and some additional "scientific constants" built in.
The programming is identical with the 32sii. However, it also works in Algebraic mode if you so choose (including in programming).
I enjoyed using my 11c in college, as I used to program it frequently on the fly, which was great in physics. The 32sii is much easier to edit, as it has a memory management system with checksums and the ability to erase pragrams one by one. The 33s has this as well.
And although it does not do matrices automatically, and the complex number handling is not optimal or super like the 15c or the 42s (which are different from each other by the way) it does work.
It should be a good tool, and it is relatively inexpensive for a programmable machine.
As an engineer, I don't see any difference between its use in physics as compared to engineering. The 11c, then the 32sii, and now the 33s are all good.
Of course you can buy a TI-30 for like $9 but forget programming then.
Regards,
Bill
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