Is HP48 THE engineer's calc?
Scott Guth
I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is still
the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
Thanks,
Scott
--
Scott Guth -- http://www.mtsac.edu/~sguth
Mathematics Dept.
Mt. San Antonio College
Jonathan M. Katz
Scott Guth wrote:
>
> I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is still
> the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
> professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
>
Yup. I love my SX. I'll probably buy & upgrade a G. Almost
everyone I know who uses hand calculators frequently for
their classwork uses a 48 G or GX. Most professionals I know
like the 41 and the 48. Even if a new HP calc is released,
the 48 will continue to have a large and dedicated number of
users among the groups you mentioned. Hope this helps.
katz
--
In order to e-mail me a reply to this message, you will have
to edit the address shown in the header. You know what to do.
Scott Guth
To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
this is unfair for engineering students who will end up owning an HP48GX in
the long run.
I know that a few years back many engineering professors required the HP48GX
for their courses. Is this true anymore?
I'm interested in hearing about trends that any of you have observed in the
engineering professional community as a whole.
Thanks again,
Scott Guth
Zwi Reznik
Scott Guth wrote:
>
> To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
> students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
> starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
> this is unfair for engineering students who will end up owning an HP48GX in
> the long run.
>
I purchased my first HP (an HP-25)in 1974 when I was working in Oil and
Gas exploration. I moved up to a 41 when it came out. When I made my
career change and entered teaching ( I moved to Fresno in 1990) I found
myself the only HP user in a sea of TI's. I've since purchased a 48SX
and am currently using a 48GX my department received from HP--the first
model HP finally supported it's academic users with. The HP is not just
for the engineering students. The routines in a library like ALG48
(which I strongly recommend to my students) are useful to anyone taking
Mathematics courses. Having said that I feel it is also still the
instrument of choice in the engineering community. To settle that
question I often advise my students to visit the engineering school
they're planning on transferring to and see what people are using.
I believe the support TI has amongst math teachers has more to do with
TI's friendly support of teachers long before HP even admitted it had an
academic market. As far as I know most of my colleagues never had to
purchase their own TI calculators. TI was making supplementary materials
to be used with their calculators long before HP. I still see TI
exhibits regularly at regional conferences while HP only seems to appear
at annual national meetings--like the MAA/AMS. Finally, the TIs seem to
give the impression of greater user friendliness--which I don't believe
is true. I point out to my students that after doing arithmetic with RPN
for an hour the HP is no more difficult than any of the TIs.
--
Zwi Reznik
Teacher of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy
Fresno City College, 209-442-4600 Ext. 8425
zre...@ix.netcom.com, http://www.netcom.com/~zreznik/small.html
**************Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita...**************
Samuel Hocevar
Scott Guth wrote:
> I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is still
> the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
> professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
I am an engineering student, and even though I use my calculator
less often than before entering the school I am now in, the hp48
remains the definitive choice for me, due to:
* its power and its open architecture
* an amazing variety of existing programs
* its size (it still fits in my pocket) and exceptional
constitution (I have never broken an hp48 in six years)
which makes it perfect for a laboratory usage.
Sam.
Ken Alverson
It is very much the choice of this high school senior. Since I bought my G
at the beginning of last year I have converted at least 4 other seniors, and
a few juniors to the one true calculator. When I got my GX and saw what it
could do two of them upgraded to that on the spot =)
Ken
Scott Guth wrote in message ...
Ken Alverson
I seriously recommend skipping the G and opting for the GX. I had the G for
about half a year and I thought it was the best calculator I had ever used,
but when I got the GX with alg48 and java I wonder how I ever used that old
G =) Those two programs really transform the GX into a math monster. I
would recommend before you go out and buy to download one of the emulators
of the 48g, load it with alg48, java, aio, qpirac, ufl, and the long library
that comes with alg48. run akeys (comes with alg48) and switch the keyboard
to user mode, and set up java (use the frappachino blend). Oh yeah, and set
flag 5 (auto-simplify after major operations). Try some stuff, I think
you'll like it
Ken
Andrew Davie
My brother graduated in Engineering with Honours.
Not a computer guy, but he had a 48G and swears by (not at) it.
He told me that the HP48 was THE calculator all the students wanted.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Andrew
Jonathan M. Katz wrote in message <69hdni$i...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
>Scott Guth wrote:
>>
>> I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is
still
>> the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
>> professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
>>
>
>Yup. I love my SX. I'll probably buy & upgrade a G. Almost
>everyone I know who uses hand calculators frequently for
>their classwork uses a 48 G or GX. Most professionals I know
>like the 41 and the 48. Even if a new HP calc is released,
>the 48 will continue to have a large and dedicated number of
>users among the groups you mentioned. Hope this helps.
>
Peter Karp
Hi,
if your are really interested look also in the TI-Newsgroup and maybe take a look on derive.
Derive is partially implemented in the TI.
I use Derive on my PC and like it very much.
But I own myself a HP48G, upgraded to 384 KB with the wonderfull programms:
Java, Alg48, Matrix, UFL, Mathtools, Ted, QPI, QTS ans a few others (like Sribe).
The TI is a little bit easier to learn to use it, but I think, the HP is more
versatile with!! those superb programms. Also you can learn the HP step by
step. I own my HP 2 years and are still learning how to use it more efficently.
The HP48 is a great help in my studies (photographic engeniering) and in exams!
I will sureley use the calc *ever*!
Simplifying is´nt as good as in Derive (I don´t know how the TI is with this)
I think sometimes about buying a HP100 or 200LX, to run Derive on it.
But most of the time I would use the HP48!
Well, just another opinion....
Greetings from Germany
Peter
P.S.: Here in germany Derive is used at many schools in the math-classes.
At the university many use a Casio (Basic-Comp), a few the new TI
and some others (the clever?!) the HP48.
cla...@utah-inter.net
In article <#XuejOLI9GA.231@upnetnews03>,
"Scott Guth" <sag...@email.msn.com> wrote:
>
> To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
> students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
> starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
> this is unfair for engineering students who will end up owning an HP48GX in
> the long run.
>
In the engineering department at my school (Salt Lake Community College),
they don't require you to buy one calculator over another. However, the
instructors use and recommend the HP and the majority of the students use
it. With the exception of the guys using the TI-92, most end up switching
over to the HP after they see what it can do. I don't know if this is
also the case for the University of Utah where the majority of the
engineering students will transfer to.
The math department is another case. In the lower math classes such as
intermediate and college algebra and trig (don't know about calculus),
the TI's seem to be the supported calculator. In fact, the bookstore even
has a buy-back program for used TI calculators. I'm just wondering how
much class time is spent trying to teach these students how to use the
thing.
If you want to contact some of the engineering faculty at my school, let
me know. I should be able to dig up a phone number and an e-mail address
or two.
--
Christian Lalor
cla...@utah-inter.net
http://home.utah-inter.net/clalor/
-------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
David Shafer
Scott Guth (sag...@email.msn.com) you wrote:
: To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
: students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
: starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
: this is unfair for engineering students who will end up owning an HP48GX in
: the long run.
: I know that a few years back many engineering professors required the HP48GX
: for their courses. Is this true anymore?
I know that at my school the admin sends out a form highly
recommending a TI model ( which the Engineering and surveying professors
hate, but the math profs like.) Most people in the surveying program who
own a TI end up buying an HP 48 GX by the end of summer camp when they see
that the people with HP's are hours before themm because of software
availability and expandability. Because of this fact all incoming
freshman who indicate Surveying as their primary curriculum now are told
to purchase and hp 48 gx.
As for the civil Engineering dept. All of the profs that I know
that don't use MathCad (because your pc doesn't fit in you pocket) carry
at least one HP. As posted earlier this year when working out longer
equations RPNB mode saves over 40% in key strokes compared with a TI
algebraic style calc.
Also All of the practicing engineers that I know use and carry
HP's with them.
-Dave
--
_________________________________________________________________________
David W. Shafer dwsh...@mtu.edu Civlab Consultant and GN135 TA
Civil Engineering (Transportation Option) & Land Surveying Undergrad
WWW: http://dws.resnet.mtu.edu/shafer/ Mich Tech in Houghton, MI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your computer is dying of boredom. We're here to help.
RC5: Think of it as brain candy for your CPU www.distributed.net
Roger Blake
Scott Guth wrote:
>
> To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
> students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
> starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
> this is unfair for engineering students who will end up owning an HP48GX in
> the long run.
>
> I know that a few years back many engineering professors required the HP48GX
> for their courses. Is this true anymore?
>
> engineering professional community as a whole.
>
> Thanks again,
> Scott Guth
>
> Scott Guth -- http://www.mtsac.edu/~sguth
> Mathematics Dept.
> Mt. San Antonio College
I am a working engineer since 1984. Today I would say half of the
engineers where I work use HPs. Most are 48s. Many fine engineers use
some very cheap scientific calculators. Glad to say I am not included
in that group.
Bryant Blaser
Is the HP recommeded by University Professors. The answer is YES. At
Utah State University it is required to have an HP. They even have a
course that teaches you how to use it. Even though their math Dept
recommends the TI. For verification see this web site at the bottom of
the page.
http://www.engineering.usu.edu/cee/required.html
At the University of Utah many professors openly express good opinions
about the HP and recommended it. However there is no official policy
requiring the HP 48. Most Students I know use it. Those who don't often
make mistakes on tests because of errors on conversions.
I am convinced that the HP 48 is the Engineers Calculator of choice.
Afterall, other than basic calculators its all I've seen
--
--Bryant Blaser
--Web Developer, University of Utah
--University of Utah Civil and Environmental Engineering
--http://www.civil.utah.edu
Blake Garretson
"Scott Guth" <sag...@email.msn.com> wrote:
>I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is still
>the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
>professionals.
I'm a fourth year student of mechanical engineering at the University
of Toledo. I'm entering the graduate program in the fall and everyone
I know who's serious about calculations uses the HP48. The professors
even reference its commands in class. (I've never heard a prof tell
how to do something on a TI or any other calc.) Some people aren't
really into doing math so they're neutral on the subject, but those of
us who really enjoy the calculations all use HP48's.
Long live the 48! (And Erable, and ALG48, and...)
-----------------------------------------------------
Blake T. Garretson
bgar...@eng.utoledo.edu
http://eng.utoledo.edu/~bgarrets
-----------------------------------------------------
Jake Watson
Samuel Hocevar wrote:
> Scott Guth wrote:
> > I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is
> still
> > the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
> > professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
>
>
I am a student at the University of Utah in structural engineering.
The instructers of my department do not "require" that an HP be
purchased, but any references are made using that calculator. Also, one
of my classmates is from an engineering shool in Michigan. She was told
the the HP48 was required, just like another textbook, her first quarter
of shcool. In my department, there is only one person who does not use
the HP. So while it may not be a formal request, virtually every
engineering student uses these calculators. This is also true for all
of the other disiplines of engineering at the U. Lastly, I am also
currently working for an engineering firm in Salt Lake. I have yet to
meet an engineer who's calculator of choice is not an HP. I am sure
that there are engineers that use others, but they are few and far
between. So for better or worse, the HP is the standard in the
engineering industry.
Dan Kirkland
Well, in talking to the person at the univ bookstore...
He says that math 105 here requires a graphing calc and the
professors use and recommend a TI. (Lame profs anyway! ;)
Even so, he says that they still sell more HP48 calcs than
ALL the other graphing calcs combined!
for what it's worth...
dan
David Shafer
In article <#XuejOLI9GA.231@upnetnews03> you wrote:
: To clarify, I really need to know if engineering professors are asking their
: students to buy HP48 calculators. I know that many math professors are
: starting to lean toward TI calcs (at my college anyway...), but I worry that
: I'm interested in hearing about trends that any of you have observed in the
: engineering professional community as a whole.
The trend that I am observing happening at MTU is that the math
profs and Math Dept perfer the TI's for their algebraic symplicity and the
fact that on the TI 92 you can appearently do 3 color 3-D graphs with a
better native symbolic engine than the HP.
The Engineering profs on the other hand being more concerned with
numbers and expandibility prefer the HP because it is easily carried,
gives great results and is expandable to meet their needs usually with
freeware programs. If and Eng prof is doing symbolics for research or the
like they prefer to use their computer (beit PC or *NIX based) for fast
results that they can manipulate.
Very few engineers in the field every want a symbolic answer when
the contractor says can I do this instead of this they want a yes or no,
and usually fast.
It was once stated on this news group like this:
The TI is the High school dream, the college students tool, the engineers
paper weight, and the research scientists trash. While the HP is the
college students dream, the Engineers tool, and the reseach scientists
paper weight. The Cray is the Engineers dream and the reseach scientists'
tool.
J.B. Hemlock
Jake Watson <jwa...@inconnect.com> writes:
> Samuel Hocevar wrote:
>
> > Scott Guth wrote:
> > > I am a college mathematics professor. I need to know if the HP48 is
> > still
> > > the calculator of choice for engineering students, professors, &
> > > professionals. I'd appreciate as many opinions on this as possible.
> >
> >
My 100-level calculus classes required TI81s', but I think that was just
because of the cheapness of that calculator (man, that thing *really*
annoyed me! I ended up using my hp41 for everything except graphing...).
--
Jim Anderson
bl...@accessone.com
Jesus saves, Allah protects, and C'thulhu thinks you'd make a nice sandwich.
cpe...@wwd.net
In article <6a2rk4$51i$1...@civlab2.civil>,
dwsh...@mtu.edu (David Shafer) wrote:
>
>
> In article <#XuejOLI9GA.231@upnetnews03> you wrote:
>
>
>
> : I'm interested in hearing about trends that any of you have observed in the
> : engineering professional community as a whole.
>
>
> the contractor says can I do this instead of this they want a yes or no,
> and usually fast.
>
> It was once stated on this news group like this:
>
> The TI is the High school dream, the college students tool, the engineers
> paper weight, and the research scientists trash. While the HP is the
> college students dream, the Engineers tool, and the reseach scientists
> paper weight. The Cray is the Engineers dream and the reseach scientists'
> tool.
>
> -Dave
>
Now the verbage.
I bought my first HP (an HP28c) in 1987 between my soph. and junior years
of engineering school and I havent looked back. In my experience, the
majority of engineers I work with use HP calcs. Not all of them use an
HP48, but this is only because they are still using their 41, 42S, and 28
series calcs. If you want to do real engineering calculations,
particularly electrical, you buy a real calculator, an HP.
BTW I have the following: 28C, 32SII, 41CX, 42S, and 48GX, although I
havent seen the 28C much since my wife learned RPN!
Charles Perry PE