The decimal point on the TI 30 Xa calculator is hardly noticeable. I prescribe this calculator for all my students in a Numerical Methods course as a programmable calculator would defeat the purpose of the course. The decimal point used to be noticeable in the older versions. I am saddened that TI has done this most probably to shave off a few cents. For a student taking a 50 minute test and doing homework with such a calculator is quite a challenge. TI has replied my query on this issue and has forwarded it to their product developers. In the meanwhile, buy the TI 30Xa solar version of the calculator. The decimal point is more visible in this version.
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The keys on the TI-30Xa also took a lot of mashing to get them to register, the store/recall registers aren’t intuitive, and the calculator suffers from a general lack of feedback on which button was just pressed. All of these drawbacks– yours and mine– of the 30Xa led me to often double and triple check answers.
Your class gave me a deep appreciation for the TI-36X Pro as my preferred NCEES-approved calculator (or the fx-115 ES Plus for electrical engineering calculations).
The keys on the TI-30Xa also took a lot of mashing to get them to register, the store/recall registers aren’t intuitive, and the calculator suffers from a general lack of feedback on which button was just pressed. All of these drawbacks– yours and mine– of the 30Xa led me to often double and triple check answers.
Your class gave me a deep appreciation for the TI-36X Pro as my preferred NCEES-approved calculator (or the fx-115 ES Plus for electrical engineering calculations).