I don’t understand what’s the big fuss about learning RPN. I didn’t know anything about it when I bought the calculator and it took me 1 day to get used to it. Just do a couple of lengthy calculations to get used to it and you’ll get to the point. If your brain is able to absorb 3000pages of CFA curriculum, I don’t see learning RPN as a challenging task… If you’re on budget buy a TI, if you can afford buy a HP12c platinum. It is robust and reliable, it reminds me of the T41 laptops when IBM was not Lenovo.
TI’s are relatively user-friendly and also recommended for the exam by Schweser and others. But HP’s have more functions. Professionals however, use Excel.
The TI BA II Professional worked fine for me
Players roll TI-BAII. Faux ballers rock HP12c’s.
BA II + is the way to go. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
Never used the HP. Always recommend the TI
TI II Professional Plus is easy to use and it is efficient. It does not allow you to type very fast though. If I enter the data too fast, it misses some key strokes. Have to double check to make sure all the correct entries have been made.
allegro-cpa/cfa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > BAII plus pro is my personal favorite. Its better > than all those other cheap calculators. Strong > battery life and works better. Calculates payback > period better allegro-cpa/cfa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Do not get an HP, people will look at you > differently and judge you as if you are from > another generation. BAII is the more respectable > calculator. Yeah, you know another thing that’s really respectable? It’s starting threads for the sole purpose of seeking affirmation for an opinion that you’ve clearly already established. Also, caring a lot about which calculator others choose to use when you’re supposedly happy with the one you’ve decided upon is much more respectable than not caring about things like that – it shows über class and respectability. And that whole ‘different strokes for different folks’ mentality? That’s loser-talk. Just look at where it got Gary Coleman.
I was just joking with the “respectable” thing, not being serious from that second message. I started the thread trying to get a better idea of which would be the best calculator to use for the exam. And a lot of people have posted opinions. One thing I noticed was the BAII PLUS pro seemed to calculate things a little better for me than some of the other calculators, just my opinion. Not sure what your issues are.
For L1, your best bet is the TI because of the permutation keys (although, I’m not sure if permutation calculations are still part of the CBOK at L1). If permutation calculations are still a part of the curriculum – and a question shows up on the exam – you’ll be doubly glad you’ve got the TI rather than the HP because the former has the nCr and nPr buttons, which make those particular calculations a lot easier. I prefer the HP for everything else, though. The RPN requires fewer keystrokes, and there’s a definitive “click” that you can feel when you’ve pressed a button. I also like the ergonomics of having a wider calculator that you can hold like a Sega Game Gear as opposed to an old school Nintendo Game Boy, but it really just boils down to personal preference.
A comment on RPN I’m old enough to rememebr the time before calculators were around. I also rememebr that the first time someone showed me an HP calculaotr they said it used reverse polish notation and showed me the backwards way of entering numbers. At the time I thought that describing is approach as reverse polish notation was mmeant as a kind of slur for the a$$-backwards way you had to use it. It wasn’t until many years later when I was given one at work and saw that on the box they said it used reverse Polish notation. It was only then that I researched and found out that RPN was named for some Polish mathematician and that it was a real term.
So which calculator is best for level II? Is there anything that the HP can do that the TI can’t?
For your information: Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) was founded by an Australian scientist - Charles Chamblin as a result of reversing no-bracket polish notation of Jan Lukasiewicz. Polish notation was discovered in 1920 by Polish logican and philosopher Mr. Jan Lukasiewicz - an instructor on University in Lwow (Poland). Interesting detail: Chamblin proposed to called its notation “Azciweisakul notation” - its Lukasiewicza written backwards. As to RPN. RPN is very similar to the way you count in your mind. It seems difficult and tricky at the beginning - but when you make some practice - its pretty easy to make any calculation. I really, really recommend using it. best regards, Marcin (happy HP12c user)
I used an Abacus for L1 and L2. It’s pretty awesome.
I used the TI for all three levels and was alright. I’m not sure if I would switch calculators between levels.
Yesterday attended my first preparatory class and one of the take away was-TI is faster and gives more accurate result. I was not clear of which one to pick, but after hearing this from the instructor, who has been there, done it, and some other friends, I have decided to pick one TI for me.