Calculators are essential learning tools in your child’s Mathematics, Science and some Humanities classes that will be used extensively and are, in fact, required on IGCSE and IB examinations. Students in all year groups are expected to have an appropriate calculator by the end of September.
Calculators are essential learning tools in your child’s Mathematics, Science and some Humanities classes that will be used extensively and are, in fact, required on IGCSE and IB examinations. Students in all year groups are expected to have an appropriate calculator by the end of September.
For Year 7 to 11 students, we recommend the Casio fx-85 ES or ES Plus (or the fx-82 ES or ES Plus) or any other ‘Natural Display’ calculator which does not have advanced functions, such as numerical integration. These versions are available locally in some stationery shops or through Alza.sk. We recommend these because it is easier for students to work with fractions and surds, and they can create tables of values for graphing functions, which is very useful for investigations in lessons and on the IGCSE examinations.
For IGCSE students in Additional Mathematics and for all IB students, we recommend the Hewlett Packard HP Prime graphing calculator (preferred) or the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE. The teachers are most familiar with these and can help students learn to use them efficiently. These can be purchased most easily from Alza.sk or the Czech companies Moravia-Europe (ask for prices and order by emailing moravia@moravia-europe.eu) and e-kalkulacky.cz. eBay and Amazon sites abroad may not deliver to Slovakia.
If you are interested in purchasing a different model, please consult with us first. In the past, several students purchased the best calculator in the shop only to find out that they were not actually allowed to use it on the exams!
In addition, students should have the following basic equipment for all lessons: pencil & rubber, pen, ruler, protractor (for measuring angles), compass (for drawing circles).
Thank you for your support and understanding.
The Mathematics Department
