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2006 Turner
Educational Publishing. All rights reserved.
The TI-83 and TI-84 calculators were designed to be very user friendly. In
fact, many people who have previous experience with graphing calculators find that they can become
quite proficient with the TI-83 by simply "exploring" the calculator for a day or two. The
user's manual supplied with the calculator is well written, and can be used as an instruction manual
or as a convenient reference in learning how to use the calculator. However, if this is your first
encounter with a graphing calculator you may find the learning experience to be very frustrating!
Both the calculator and the manual can be intimidating to those not familiar with this technology.
The Precalculus TI-83/TI-84 Tutorial was designed with all of you in mind, but
primarily for those who have limited experience with graphing calculators. If you are already an
experienced user, you may find within the tutorial some helpful techniques or capabilities in using
the calculator that are new to you or that you had forgotten. The tutorial is structured in such a
way that you can jump immediately to any topic that interests you. For the beginner, this tutorial
will provide step-by-step instruction in the use of the TI-83 or TI-84 calculator that you can
follow AT YOUR OWN PACE! The tutorial will lead you through each topic, providing full key sequences
and screen images at each step. You can back up at any time to review the previous step. Each topic
concludes with a practice quiz which provides an opportunity to test your understanding and skill
development. You can choose to work through the entire tutorial, or select only those topics that
interest you. Topics can be selected in any order.
The primary purpose of the tutorial is to provide instruction on the specific
capabilities of the TI-83 or TI-84 that are necessary for a Precalculus course (which
would include both algebra and trigonometry) in which the use of a graphing calculator is required. It is not meant to be
exhaustive, or to cover in detail EVERY aspect of the calculator. Rather, the goal is for you to be
able to use the calculator to perform the tasks which are relevant to the material covered in such a
course. The content of this tutorial is text independent, but the topics have been arranged to
follow the traditional sequence in a Precalculus text. Textbook guides
are available for certain texts that align the topics in the tutorial to each section of the
textbook.
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INSTRUCTIONS
How To Use The Tutorial
Default Settings
Screen Contrast
Radian vs Degree Mode
ARITHMETIC
Order Of Operations
Arithmetic Operations
Fractions
Absolute Value
Exponents
Roots
Scientific Notation
Complex Numbers
LOGIC
Test Operations
ANGLES
Angle Conversion
Converting decimal degrees to DMS
Converting DMS to decimal degrees
Converting radians to decimal degrees or DMS
Converting decimal degrees to radians
Converting DMS to radians
Angle Arithmetic In DMS
Angle addition
Complement and supplement
Expressions
Arc length and sector area
GRAPHING
Window Settings
Obtaining a standard viewing window
Adjusting the window settings
Pixels and screen size
ZDecimal
ZInteger
Standard trigonometric viewing window
Zoom Commands
ZStandard
ZBox
ZPrevious and Zoom In
Zoom Out
ZoomFit
Graphing Discrete Data
Entering data using the stat list editor
Setting up a stat plot
Turning Off A Stat Plot
FUNCTIONS
Evaluating A Function
Evaluating a function on the Home screen
Defining a function in the Y= editor
Using function notation on the Home screen
Using the TABLE in Ask mode
Using the TABLE in Auto mode
Evaluating a function from the graph
Basic Graphing And Analysis
Setting an appropriate WINDOW
Using TRACE
Evaluating the function from the graph
Finding zeros
Finding relative extrema
Piecewise Defined Functions
Greatest Integer function
Graphing a piecewise-defined function
Function Composition
Evaluating a composition on the Home screen
Graphing a composition function
Inverse Functions
Horizontal line test for one-to-one function
Graphing an inverse
Testing for inverses
LINEAR FUNCTIONS
Graphing And Analysis
Graphing a linear function
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Horizontal and vertical lines
Perpendicular lines and ZSquare
Solving Linear Equations
Using the x-intercept method
Using the intersection method
Using the Solver
Solving Linear Inequalities
QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Graphing And Analysis
Graphing a quadratic function
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Finding the vertex
Solving Quadratic Equations
Using the x-intercept method
Using the Solver
Solving Quadratic Inequalities
ABSOLUTE VALUE FUNCTIONS
Graphing And Analysis
Solving Equations
Solving Inequalities
ROOT FUNCTIONS
Graphing And Analysis
Solving Radical Equations
Solving Radical Inequalities
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS
Graphing
Graphing a polynomial function
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Finding relative maxima and minima
Solving Polynomial Equations
Finding rational zeros
Writing a polynomial function in factored form
Solving Polynomial Inequalities
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
Asymptotic Behavior
Investigating a vertical asymptote
Investigating a horizontal asymptote
Graphing And Analysis
Graphing a rational function
Graphing in dot mode
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Finding relative maxima and minima
Graphing a horizontal asymptote
Graphing a vertical asymptote
Graphing a slant asymptote
Graphs with "holes"
Solving Rational Equations
Solving Rational Inequalities
EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Evaluating
General Base
Base 10
Natural Exponential Function
Compound Interest
Graphing And Analysis
Graphing an exponential function
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Graphing the horizontal asymptote
Natural exponential function
Solving Exponential Equations
Solving equations (intersection method)
Solving equations (x-intercept method)
Compound Interest
Solving Exponential Inequalities
LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS
Evaluating
Common logarithm
Natural logarithm
General base using the change of base formula
Graphing And Analysis
Graphing the inverse of an exponential function
Graphing using the change of base formula
Finding the x and y-intercepts
Graphing the vertical asymptote
Natural logarithmic function
Solving Logarithmic Equations
Solving equations (intersection method)
Solving equations (x-intercept method)
Solving Logarithmic Inequalities
UNIT CIRCLE
Circular Functions
Graphing a unit circle
Evaluating the circular functions
The unit circle in degrees
Returning to function mode
TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
Evaluating
Home screen and decimal degrees
Evaluating with DMS
Using radians in Degree mode
Home screen and radians
Using degrees or DMS in Radian mode
Using function notation
Using the TABLE in Ask mode
Changing the function from the TABLE
Using the TABLE in Auto mode
Expressions
Examples from solving triangles
Powers of trigonometric functions
Law of Cosines
Law of Sines
Examples from applied or vector problems
Area formulas
Basic Graphs
The sine function
Selecting and de-selecting functions
The cosine function
The tangent function
Connected mode and false asymptotes
Graphing with the Dot style
The cosecant function
Using Dot mode
The secant function
The cotangent function
Graphing And Analysis
Entering the function
Choosing an optimal window
Using TRACE
Evaluating the function from the graph
Finding x-intercepts (zeros)
Finding maximum and minimum values
Working in Degree mode
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INVERSE TRIG FUNCTIONS
Evaluating
The arcsine function
The arccosine function
Obtaining results in DMS
Converting degrees to radians
The arctangent function
Finding inverse cosecant values
Finding inverse cotangent values
Finding inverse secant values
Converting radians to degrees
Using reference angles
Expressions
Examples from solving triangles
Law of Sines
Law of Cosines
Composition of trig and inverse trig functions
Basic Graphs
Graphing the inverse
The arcsine function
The arccosine function
The arctangent function
The inverse cosecant function
The inverse cotangent function
The inverse secant function
Evaluating from the graph
Working in Degree mode
IDENTITIES
Verifying Identities
Numerically using the TABLE
Verifying graphically
TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS
Solving Equations
Using the x-intercept method
Using the intersection method
Solving Inequalities
Using the x-intercept method
VECTORS
Conversions
Finding the magnitude
Finding the direction angle
Finding the x-component
Finding the y-component
Basic Operations
Resultant and difference vectors
Dot product
Finding the angle between two vectors
COMPLEX NUMBERS
Basic Operations
Complex conjugate
Real and imaginary parts
Real vs complex mode
Polar Form Conversions
Finding the modulus
Finding the argument
Using the Polar command
Rectangular to polar commands
Polar to rectangular
Using the Rect command
Polar Form Operations
Setting polar form mode
Products and quotients
Finding powers
Returning To Real Mode
POLAR COORDINATES
Conversions
Converting to polar
Converting to rectangular
Evaluating Polar Functions
Setting polar mode
Entering a function
Using function notation
Using the TABLE in Ask mode
Using the TABLE in Auto mode
Returning To Function Mode
Graphing
Setting polar mode
Entering a function
Standard window and adjustment
Squaring the window
Finding rectangular coordinates from the graph
Working in Degree mode
Graphing a conic section in polar form
Returning To Function Mode
CONIC SECTIONS
Circles
Graphing a circle
Drawing a circle
Parabolas
Ellipses
Hyperbolas
REGRESSION
Linear Regression
Entering data using the stat list editor
Turning on the correlation coefficient
Calculating the least-squares regression model
Graphing the regression model against the data
Quadratic Regression
Polynomial Regression
Exponential Regression
Logarithmic Regression
Turning Off Stat Plots
Sinusoidal Regression
Setting up the stat editor
Entering data
Setting up a scatter plot
Calculating and graphing the regression model
Turning off a stat plot
PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS
Graphing Plane Curves
Setting parametric mode
Entering parametric equations
Standard window and adjusting
Evalauting parametric equations from the graph
Evalauting parametric equations from the TABLE
Lissajous figures
Graphing a hyperbola
Returning To Function Mode
MATRICES
Matrix Operations
Entering a matrix using the matrix editor
Addition, subtraction and scalar multiplication
Opposite of a matrix
Matrix multiplication
Determinants
Inverse Matrix
SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS
Solving Graphically
Finding intersection points
Finding x-intercepts of the difference function
Using The SOLVER
Gaussian Elimination
Entering the augmented matrix
Using row operations to obtain row-echelon form
Using ref to obtain row-echelon form
Gauss-Jordan Reduction
Gauss-Jordan reduction with row operations
Using rref for reduced row-echelon form
Solving With An Inverse Matrix
Cramer's Rule
INEQUALITIES IN TWO VARIABLES
Graphing A Solution Set
Systems Of Inequalities
Linear Programming
SEQUENCES
Evaluating A Sequence
Finding terms in function mode
Defining a sequence in sequence mode
Finding terms from the home screen
Using the TABLE
Recursively defined sequences
Graphing A Sequence
Graphing a non-recursive sequence
Graphing a recursive sequence
Evaluating a sequence from the graph
Sums
Finding sums in function mode
Partial sums
Finding sums in sequence mode
Returning To Function Mode
PROBABILITY
Binomial Theorem
Computing coefficients
Factorial
Permutations
Combinations
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I have received many positive comments from students, parents and educators
alike. The following quotes, which are actual comments taken from e-mails or surveys, are just a
small sample from the numerous success stories that Tutorial users have shared with me in the past.
| General Comments
|
| "I'm a happy owner of your TI-83 tutorial. Your tutorial did more than any other tool or book
I've found to help bring me up to date with the issues and techniques of how high school math is
approached today." - Bruce Hudson |
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Algebra
Trigonometry
Precalculus