An essential tool for all high school students, the calculator is not to be chosen at random at the risk of exposing oneself to serious problems during exams. Here are some criteria to find the right model.
When entering high school, the calculator becomes essential in order to carry out mathematical work more easily. However, it is very important to make the right choice and not to opt for just any model. You should know that in high school, the type of calculator used is regulated. Indeed, it must have what is called "exam mode ". Currently, calculators are developing more and more advanced features. Some allow the storage of information thanks to their large memory of up to 1 GB. Others can even be connected to wifi or bluetooth.
In this context, to avoid all forms of fraud, the legislator has decided to prohibit this type of model. This measure should come into force by 2019. Thus, the perfect calculator for high school must have no alphanumeric and non-programmable memory. If ever it is equipped with an alphanumeric memory, it will necessarily be accompanied by the "exam mode" functionality. The memory must be able to be erased definitively or neutralized temporarily. Bluetooth, wifi and other data transmission modes are blocked. The examination mode will be recognizable by the presence of a light signal. In principle, it must also be non-reversible during the tests.
To recognize calculators equipped with this "exam" functionality, simply refer to the packaging, which must mention "integrated exam mode".
In high school, two types of calculators are recommended:scientific and graphing. Scientists offer a range of functionalities:exponentials, equations, shortcuts for statistics… They have the advantage of being adapted to all sectors. The graphics are more advanced. They are equipped with a larger memory allowing the creation of graphic equations. Histograms and curves are displayed ergonomically thanks to the large screens. In high school, sophisticated models like the financial calculator are discouraged. In addition to being very expensive, it is not yet useful at this stage of the studies.
A very important point when choosing the calculator:it is preferable to bet on a durable model over time that can be used both in high school and at university. It is also recommended to choose the leading brands in the market to have the guarantee of quality. Some have been present in this market for decades, which is a guarantee of reliability.
Price is another important criterion. Scientific models are available from 15 euros and can reach 40 euros for the most efficient. Graphing calculators are worth between 60 and 150 euros. As for the financial calculator, it requires a certain budget since it costs between 100 and 200 euros. Note that the price of a calculator being high, a trick is to find good deals on sales sites between individuals.
