I have 2 TI BA plus calculators, can I just bring both and switch in case the batteries in one die rather than wasting precious time replacing the battery?
Yes. If you have 2 calculators, I think you would be much better off bringing two instead of bringing one and batteries. Or… you could just change your batteries the day before the exam so you know you have new batteries.
bring 2 calculators. what happens if 1 gets crapped on?
Does anyone know anybody whose calculator actually failed them on the exam? I have 1 BA II Plus Pro but I don’t really want to spend an extra CDN$80. I have 2 new batteries though.
it takes less than a 30 sec to change a battery. change one to be sure in a practice high tension test.
you need to buy a flathead screwdriver. I dont think they allow two calculators. Check the exam list.
It’s risky changing the battery during high pressure situation. The guts of the calculator have to be pulled up to expose the battery.
If you have 2 new batteries why not change it ahead of time? If you don’t want to, fair enough. I’m willing to place a LARGE wager that it doesn’t die on you on exam day.
I’m yet to buy spares. Is any one risking it? The manual says 1500 hours of battery life and I can’t imagine that anyone has used it by now.
I’m pretty confident my calculator has been on for at least 1500 hours. I have had my calculator for 4 years and have used it excessively. I’m still not worried about it dying on me on exam day though. Still just bringing my girlfriend’s calculator just to be safe!
I just bought this calculator when I started studying for this exam so approximately 5-6 months? Doubt it will die on me but paranoia might set in. There’s always a chance!
5-6 months? not a chance
What happens if the display pooches out? A button gets stuck?? There’s a whole bunch of other bad things that can happen to IT hardware aside from the battery running out. For me, I’m not taking the chance, will have two with me. I didn’t waste 6 months of my life studying just to lose it all for the sake of a $40 calculator
Waaaay too much paranoia in this thread. If you just replaced your battery for level I you are fine.
Odds of something happening are 1 in 200,000. Cost of batteries are $4. In my opinion it’s not worth the $4 on 1 in 200,000 odds.
Reading the title of this thread – 2 Calculators, 1 Battery – I thought this dialogue could’ve quickly gone off on a tangent. But I digress… Are you guys going into war? Is it worth wasting 30 precious seconds to change a battery on a (practically new) calculator? Paranoia seems to be slowly settling in.
But itera was right – it could get crapped on.
I’m bringing two calculators to the exam. What’s the opportunity cost? $30?
During one of my first mocks, my calculator froze during a long iteration. It works fine now, but I had to pull the batteries out and wipe it clean. I doubt that it will happen on exam day, but again, what’s the harm?
I don’t think a calculator I have owned has ever died on me. I even fired up an old Mickey Mouse calculator from back in the day not too long ago and it could still do arithmetic. Those little puppies last forever.
That being said, I still changed my batteries about a week before each exam. I only brought one calculator.
Maybe my office buys cheap calculators, but I’ve had three die on me over the last 4 years. Display starts showing jibberish so you can’t read the numbers. Don’t make them like they used to. Admittedly though, my BA II is doing fine…
This is why the HP12c Platinum is a good investment. It has a battery indicator to warn you when the battery is low and needs replacing. Other ones don’t so you just have to guess whether it needs a new one or not, unless it runs out completely a few weeks before the exam.
If you have 2, bring them both. I bought an extra one before the exam, you put so much time and effort into it, its worth the extra 30-40 bux just in case (however minimal it may be) that your first calculator dies. Batteries work too, but itll take time to change them and adds more anxiety to the exam. I think the extra cash to have the peace of mind is well worth it.