calculator

anna_k

Today I went to the newsagents to get a new calculator before the exam(i spilt ink on my old one). I went to buy the black sharp EL-W531. However when I went to pay for it the guy at the till said we werent allowed to use these in the exam as it was 'programmable'. Apparently I have to revert back to the old white sharp model, or swap to a casio. However Iv been using the black sharp since 1st year and teachers have never said anything(i used it in the jc too). I know its just a calculator but i really cant become accustomed to a new model in a few days....i can't afford to be spending precious time in an exam looking for a log button or whatever.
Is this really true? Is the black sharp EL-W531 not allowed?

**Timbuk2**

No that calculator is fine. As far as I know it says on the box that it's acceptable for use in state exams. Either way I brought two of them into all of my exams and it was fine - they aren't programmable as such, at least not so much that would make them not allowed in exams. They can't solve equations or graph anything so they should be fine!

bpb101

i dont see the problem with any problem with them.
mabey he just wanted you to buy the dearer one

anna_k

Thank you so much for the replies!. I really do appreciate it..i was freaking out over it earlier! i really want an A in maths and need a HLB1 for my course so it was really bothering me. My teachers away so i didnt know who to ask.
Such is the stress of the leaving that even a calculator was enough to upset me! :eek:

**Timbuk2**

It's a very common calculator, most of the people in my class had it (it doesn't do a lot more than the others, but it displays fractions and surds etc. in natural form which I think is easier!).

Slightly irrelevant but what course are you hoping to do!?

jimkekk

anna_k wrote: »

Today I went to the newsagents to get a new calculator before the exam(i spilt ink on my old one). I went to buy the black sharp EL-W531. However when I went to pay for it the guy at the till said we werent allowed to use these in the exam as it was 'programmable'. Apparently I have to revert back to the old white sharp model, or swap to a casio. However Iv been using the black sharp since 1st year and teachers have never said anything(i used it in the jc too). I know its just a calculator but i really cant become accustomed to a new model in a few days....i can't afford to be spending precious time in an exam looking for a log button or whatever.
Is this really true? Is the black sharp EL-W531 not allowed?

The Black El W531 is allowed there are no issues with it !
The following are rules for calculators as per SEC website
a. Programmable calculators are prohibited. The term “programmable” includes any calculator that is capable of storing a sequence of keystrokes that can be retrieved after the calculator is turned off or powers itself off. Note that the capacity to recall, edit and replay previously executed calculations does not render a calculator programmable, provided that this replay memory is automatically cleared when the calculator is powered off. Also, the facility to store numbers in one or more memory locations does not render a calculator programmable. (The Sharp EL-W531 is not programable)
b. Calculators with any of the following mathematical features are prohibited:
§ graph plotting
§ equation solving
§ symbolic algebraic manipulation
§ numerical integration
§ numerical differentiation
§ matrix calculations
a. Candidates must indicate on their answerbooks the make and model of any calculator(s) used in the examination. (no issues with Sharp El-w531!
b. Candidates are not allowed to take an instruction manual into the examination hall. This includes instructions printed on the cover of the calculator. Any instructions printed on a casing that cannot be removed from the calculator must be securely covered.
c. Candidates may not turn on their calculators until the examination begins.

BeanbagBallbag

anna_k wrote: »

Thank you so much for the replies!. I really do appreciate it..i was freaking out over it earlier! i really want an A in maths and need a HLB1 for my course so it was really bothering me. My teachers away so i didnt know who to ask.
Such is the stress of the leaving that even a calculator was enough to upset me! :eek:

What course are you going for? A1 if there's no disaster on the day haha.

anna_k

jimkekk wrote: »

The Black El W531 is allowed there are no issues with it !

Thank you for putting my mind at ease!
I feel bad now..a bit of rooting around on the sec website would have answered my question.

J_E

Yeah, I used one of those in my Junior Cert no problem. It's the calculators like the TI-86 they're dodgy about.

anna_k

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Slightly irrelevant but what course are you hoping to do!?

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

What course are you going for? A1 if there's no disaster on the day haha.

I was thinking of doing actuarial and financial studies in ucd. I had intended doing medicine all along but have been having doubts recently..i'm not sure if its really for me. I think a more maths based course would suit me better. I'm so indecisive at the moment...it's like i'm awaiting some sort of epiphany to help me choose.

BeanbagBallbag

anna_k wrote: »

I was thinking of doing actuarial and financial studies in ucd. I had intended doing medicine all along but have been having doubts recently..i'm not sure if its really for me. I think a more maths based course would suit me better. I'm so indecisive at the moment...it's like i'm awaiting some sort of epiphany to help me choose.

Ah you have to go for medicine now, no way I'd pay nearly 100 quid to do a test and then go off and do somethin' else haha! Only jokin', you should do a maths course if you love maths, I'm doin maths in tcd, but if you're sciency like you can go in through the omnibus science course in ucd, and you get loads of options, if you put it on your cao, DN200, I think, it gives you a drop down menu of the general routes and you can go on the site and see how many of the courses suit ya in each thing I suppose .

Maybe_Memories

anna_k wrote: »

I was thinking of doing actuarial and financial studies in ucd. I had intended doing medicine all along but have been having doubts recently..i'm not sure if its really for me. I think a more maths based course would suit me better. I'm so indecisive at the moment...it's like i'm awaiting some sort of epiphany to help me choose.

Why not do.... maths?

**Timbuk2**

anna_k wrote: »

I was thinking of doing actuarial and financial studies in ucd. I had intended doing medicine all along but have been having doubts recently..i'm not sure if its really for me. I think a more maths based course would suit me better. I'm so indecisive at the moment...it's like i'm awaiting some sort of epiphany to help me choose.

That's the course I do! I just finished first year, I love it

It's very.... very... different from medicine though! It's quite specific you could consider Maths in UCD, TCD or NUIM if you want something maths-based without necessarily specialising in Actuarial Science! If you then decide to become an Actuary it's still very possible by either doing the Actuarial Science HDip (UCD) or just doing all the actuarial exams from scratch with no exemptions!

anna_k

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

Ah you have to go for medicine now, no way I'd pay nearly 100 quid to do a test and then go off and do somethin' else haha! .

worse yet I used months worth of pocket money to pay a few hundred euro for a preparation course. Perhaps financial studies isnt for me...I clearly don't know how to invest my money wisely

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

Why not do.... maths?

thanks for pointing out my flawed logic...I'm well aware of the fact that my cao is all over the place:D. I want to study everything-therein lies the problem