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Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
06-07-2016, 02:58 PM
Post: #1
Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
Is the NCEES considering the new Casio ClassWiz calculators for their list of approved calculators in 2017?
https://edu.casio.com/products/cwiz/fx350ex/
https://edu.casio.com/products/cwiz/fx570ex/
https://edu.casio.com/products/cwiz/fx991ex/
Also, will they be approved for other tests such as ACT, SAT, AP?

The FX991EX boasts 47 constants instead of 40, with abbreviations inside the calculator.
I heard Pearson won't let you use the back of FX-115ESPLUS to lookup numbers of constants and conversions. Do they clear calculator memory or let you use the calculator as-is?
Other improvements are 4-line display instead of just 2, bigger solar panel, high speed integrations and 4x4 matrix. The QR code feature allows learning graphs on a tablet in class without buying a separate graphing calculator, retaining familiarity with the same calculator operation. Not sure if has reach up and grab a number from previous calculation ability like the TI-36XPRO. They are trying to compete with TI in a big way for test-permitted calculators, and it would make sense for Casio to involve NCEES in the design stages of new calculators.
These features can provide an advantage at test time.
It would help if NCEES gave test takers advance notice of what is permitted.
Too bad the Casio still forgets everything when the power goes off.
Are they coming out with an English language version of the German FX-991DEX?
http://www.casio-europe.com/de/calc/sgr/.../fx991dex/
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06-07-2016, 04:41 PM
Post: #2
RE: Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
Every November the NCEES posts their allowed calculators for the following year. Truthfully, I wouldn't expect the NCEES to add any other Casio's other than the fx-115 series. Why? because that would be extra calculators for their proctors to examine. The fx-115 is cheap and readily available, at least in the US. Sharp seems to be the calculator company that most suffers from the NCEES restrictions, I have not noticed their brand since calculator models were restricted over 10 years ago. I am actually surprised they still list the Hp 33s as it hasn't been made for eight years or so.
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As far as constants go, many calculators have them built into the calculator too. The rule of not being able to use the ones printed on your calculator is kind of nit picky and probably unenforceable. Still, I would say, DON'T DO IT! You don't need to introduce extra hassle for an exam that can be this important to your future career.
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And the exam is designed for a B average engineering student to take with minimal (40-50 hours maybe) studying to pass (barely, maybe, but pass). Of course, extra studying or being a better student should be able to pass with a lot more confidence (and higher score, you just won't know it, as the NCEES doesn't release the score for passing anymore).
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As far as for clearing memory, the NCEES actually doesn't care what you program into your calculator upon entry into the exam. They are concerned with WHAT you may take out of the exam ie questions. That is why calculators are limited to single variable letters ie the Hp 35s is programmable and some sites sell the Hp 35s with preloaded programs for these exams. That wouldn't be possible or practical if the NCEES cleared program memory.
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06-08-2016, 05:43 PM
Post: #3
RE: Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
Ron, the fx-115ES PLUS has 40 constants, but you have to know the index number in order to use them. They are compliant with 2010 CODATA, not the most current.
Here is a list of the first 5 plus one:
Mass of the Proton mp 01 1.672621777 10-27 1.672621777(74) 10-27 kg
Mass of the Neutron mn 02 1.674927351 10-27 1.674927351(74) 10-27 kg
Mass of the Electron me 03 9.10938291 10-31 9.10938291(40) 10-31 kg
Mass of the Muon mm 04 1.883531475 10-28 1.88353475(96) 10-28 kg
Bohr radius a0 05 5.291772109 10-11 5.2917721092(17) 10-11 m
Stefan's constant s 31 5.670373 10-8 5.670373(21) 10-8 W/m2/K4

This is not up-to-date, currently it is:
Stefan Boltzmann's constant Value 5.670367 x 10-8 W m-2 K-4
http://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/cuu/Value?sigma
Not sure if the Casio FX-991EX has the more accurate numbers for the constants.
Can the use of an old constant cause an incorrect answer on the test?

In any case, the Casio FX-115ES PLUS requires the user to look up the index of the constant on the plastic protective cover, while the FX-991EX has the abbreviations for the constants built-in. This feature allows the test taker to forego the plastic protective cover yet still look up physical constants. The HP-35s and the TI-36XPRO also have an internal symbol lookup feature with no external index number lookup required.

The NCEES could easily get rid of the TI-30xa calculator from the list- there are many things it doesn't do, such as binary-octal-hex conversion, two variable statistics, matrix math etc.
The TI-30X IIS, TI-30X IIB and thte TI-36X Solar were recalled due to the logarithm bug, yet they are still permitted for use on the test:
http://www.datamath.org/Story/LogarithmBug.htm
The TI-30 Xa SEs was recalled: http://www.ticalc.org/archives/news/arti...29086.html
yet it is still permitted for use on the test.
Last but not least, the HP-35s has its share of bugs:
http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...i?read=735
and the TI-36X PRO has a well-publicized bug:
http://nickweil.blogspot.com/2012/01/ti-...video.html

I hope the NCEES accounts for the recalled calculators with different answers
when they compose their question pool; otherwise, you could fail the test if
you use the wrong calculator.

I agree the HP-33s is hard to find used because it has been out of production for a long time.
The list of approved calculators needs to be updated to reflect what is available,
fast and accurate, [/align]and commonly used in the engineering community.
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06-08-2016, 06:49 PM
Post: #4
RE: Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
The Ti-30xa will be allowed for the NCEES exams for as long as it is made or at least as long as an RPN calculator is allowed... Why? Because it is the last AOS calculator on the NCEES list. The other calculators allowed are all EOS calculators. Nearly everyone uses EOS (DAL if you prefer to use Casio's name for it). Some old timers (I fit in that group) actually prefer AOS to EOS, if you are using an algebraic calculator.
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A good example of this would be an Hp 20s, Ti-68 or often a cheap knock off scientific calculator user wanting to take the PE exam. Only the Ti-30xa would feel comfortable to them. That is the only reason it is kept on the list. That number of users is probably 3-5 X larger than RPN users. Hence the Ti-30xa stays around on the store shelves and for this exam.
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11-30-2016, 02:39 PM
Post: #5
RE: Casio ClassWiz for NCEES
It looks like the Casio FX-991EX has been added to the list of approved calculators.
http://ncees.org/2017-calculator-list-ap...del-added/
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