I use the BAII + Pro. I find that I don’t use too many functions on the calculator (pretty much basic operations, exponents, cash flow functions, npv, irr, tvm functions, ncr, npr, store, recall). Does anyone use any other functions that would be helpful for the exam?
also maybe once in a blue moon natural log
would be good to know the Bond functions --> they save you a great deal of time. Amort function --> which works closely with the PV, PMT functions. You might not use them very often, but these are good to know. CP
is there a way to calculate duration on the BA II or BA II plus?
no. Duration is not available. but you can calculate the up and down prices and then apply to the formula. cp
CF is very helpful. Besides NPV and IRR it also calculated payback, discounted payback periods, etc. i don’t even know how to use bonds functions and PMT -> CF is the only one I’ve been using.
I would recommend learning the stat functions (using data) too. Quick ways to get covariance given a data set. Very helpful with stats. This site goes over the various calc features for the BAII Plus http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/ti_ba2
Thanks for the responses guys.
GMofDen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would recommend learning the stat functions > (using data) too. Quick ways to get covariance > given a data set. Very helpful with stats. > This site goes over the various calc features for > the BAII Plus > http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/ti_ba2 I second that. Know the stats worksheet and how to manipulate the numbers (like turning correlation into covariance).
I use HP 12C. I don’t think it has a way to calculate covariance. Anybody knows? I wonder if covariance calculation is ever required in an exam? It will potentially eat up a few minutes out of just one question.
> GMofDen Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I would recommend learning the stat functions > > (using data) too. Quick ways to get covariance > > given a data set. Very helpful with stats. > > This site goes over the various calc features > for > > the BAII Plus > > http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/ti_ba2 > ------------------------------------------------------------ Yes, it’s fast and easy to get Cor, standard divation, mean, etc. I am very surprised that Schweser doesn’t mentioned above in notes. my classmates in Schweser are also surprised to see it. it will save lots of time in exam.
I used X!, nCr, and nPr last December
I liked the suggestion of FourCastles on GD that someone use the NOROM function. The guy even responded that he couldn’t find it on his BAII plus…
OK, I answered my own question. HP 12C can do covariance as well. I can’t believe that I went through the whole stat section without knowing this. http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00367122.pdf
http://www.tvmcalcs.com/ Excellent website to get you started on the 3 relevant calculators: HP12C, BA-II P, and BAII PP
cpk123 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > would be good to know the Bond functions --> they > save you a great deal of time. Since I assume CFA exam will only give you # of days, and not specific dates, how to you enter the dates in the bond function? For example, if a question states … “find YTM, DUR, whatever, with maturity in 100 days,” do you just enter Jan 1, 1990, count 100 days from there, and enter Apr 11, 1990 for the redemption date? Seems like it’d be easy to make a mistake and count 99 or 101 days. Is there a way to just enter # of days, rather than calender dates?
As far as I have seen, never seen a # of days question thus far. Usually seen years on the question, which is pretty easy to enter – with Start date of 01/01/2000 and end date of + # of years. Also given you are trying to calculate the price or the YTM for the bond – a couple of days should not make that much of a difference. and then if there are too many close answers, you have the time, and the methodology using the TVM functions to get to the “closer” answer. In any case, if you have identified it down to 1 of 2 answers, and then you guess, you are 50% closer to an answer. CP
Can somebody please post step by step instructions of how to calculate, using a TI BAII + calculator, the covariance and correlation of two variables, given a joint probability table, such as the one which appears on p. 391 of the CFA textbook 1. Thanks in advance!
^ if im not mistaken, i dont think this is possible…? can only calculate covar and corr of two variables WITHOUT joint prob table. we can calculate 1 var WITH prob table though…