TI Graphing Calculator FAQ

[calculators] by Ray Kremer [calculators]

Comments and suggestions: raykremer@gmail.com
Please do not send e-mail asking questions
that have been answered in the FAQ.

I frequently share my knowledge about TI graphing calculators in the TI discussion groups and various other TI related forums, and some questions come up quite often. So, whenever someone asks one of those, I send them here. My FAQ responds to the common questions that I see in the discussion groups all the time. It also contains little known but useful things you can do with your calculator. If you don't find your answer here, head over to the discussion groups or the TechniCalc forum and post your question there. The other regulars and I will see it and try to provide assistance.

Some other FAQs, which all contain a variety of good information that I haven't covered here:
TI's KnowledgeBase - Searchable help provided by TI
Patrick Davidson's Ultimate FAQ - Focus on games and assembly shells
ti-89.org's TI-89 FAQ - General info for the TI-89 only
ticalc.org's FAQ - Focus on assembly shells
Mattias Lindqvist's Calc-TI FAQ - Very outdated but has a handful of useful tidbits

Last revision: 5/8/2005 - Massive update because instead of adding things as I think of them I've just been sticking them in a list. Added some bits to 1.2 and the games page about assembly game compatibility in the 83 Flash family and the 89 Flash family. There's a new sentence in 2.2.4 about what the HW patch does. Added section 2.7 for MirageOS questions since Detached Solutions doesn't provide a troubleshooting FAQ for it. Added a note that TI Connect sometimes doesn't work if the calculator has an older OS and a note about problems between Windows XP and the Graph Link software in 4.4.2. Added link to the TI-83 Plus Engineering Applications Handbook in 7. Added link to Mathbit.com's tutorials in 7.1. Added some more reset button combinations for the 89 family to 9.1. Expanded 9.4 to warn about graphing a trig function in degree mode. Added 10.1.9: Regressions involving calendar years. Updated 10.2.2 because the previously stated substitution caused a circular definition error in current AMS versions. Added 10.3.8: Graphing the second derivative on the 83 family. Added 11.2.6: Renaming programs on the TI-8x family. Added 11.2.7 to explain the SetUpEditor command on the 83 family. Link to TiEmu and TilEm added to 13.1. Added lines to the three statistics pages about where to find the statistics variables once regression or analysis results have been stored to them.

0. Banner exchange
I. Programs and Files
1. Calculator programs (BASIC)
1.1 Learning TI BASIC
1.2 Running programs on different calculators
1.2.1 Sending programs from the TI-86 to the TI-85
1.3 How to type \->\, etc.
1.4 TI BASIC tips and tricks
1.4.1 If Then Goto End memory errors
1.4.2 Internal subroutines
1.4.3 Creating movement
1.4.4 Timed delays
1.4.5 Randomizing lists
2. Assembly programs
2.1 Learning assembly
2.2 Built in assembly
2.2.1 TI-83 ASM
2.2.2 TI-83 Flash family ASM
2.2.3 TI-86 ASM
2.2.4 TI-89 Flash family ASM
2.3 Hacked assembly
2.3.1 TI-82 ASM
2.3.2 TI-85 ASM
2.3.3 TI-92 ASM
2.4 Programs with sound
2.5 Source code files (*.asm, *.h, *.inc)
2.6 Flash Applications
2.6.1 Programs not in the APPS menu
2.7 MirageOS issues
2.7.1 Forgotten password
2.7.2 Games not appearing in the MirageOS menu
2.7.3 Distorted screen
3. Game and program archives
3.1 Useful programs
4. Calculator to computer connectivity
4.1 The TI Connectivity cable
4.1.1 Getting a TI Connectivity cable
4.2 TI Connect and the Graph Link™ software
4.2.1 Viewing program text
4.2.2 Edit locking programs
4.2.3 Text files
4.2.4 Image files
4.2.5 Group files
4.2.6 Zip files
4.2.7 Sending different file types
4.3 Homemade link cables
4.4 Getting the Connectivity cable to work
4.4.1 Plugging it in
4.4.2 General troubleshooting
4.4.3 USB troubleshooting
4.4.4 Graph Link software issues
4.4.5 Serial port troubleshooting
4.4.6 Serial port troubleshooting II
4.4.7 Serial port troubleshooting III
4.4.8 Checksum error on the TI-89 Flash family
II. General Information
5. The different calculators
5.1 Model family comparison
5.2 The TI-83 family
5.3 The TI-89 family
5.4 History of TI graphing calculators
5.5 TI-89 family vs. HP48/49G series
6. Buying TI calculators
7. Getting another manual or calc to calc link
7.1 On-line help and tutorials
8. ROM versions
8.1 Learning your ROM version
8.2 The self test
9. Troubleshooting
9.1 Calculator locked up or won't turn on
9.2 Missing OS errors
9.3 Dimension error when graphing
9.4 Trigonometry functions give wrong answer
9.5 Can only select one Y= function on TI-83 Flash family
III. Functions and Procedures
10. Methods for special tasks
10.1 Algebra and trigonometry tasks
10.1.1 Mixed numbers
10.1.2 Inverse of reciprocal trigonometric functions
10.1.3 Logarithms of different bases and the antilog
10.1.4 Creating a plus/minus sign
10.1.5 Quadratic equations
10.1.6 Composite functions
10.1.7 Solving a system of equations
10.1.8 Storing equations for the numerical solver
10.1.9 Regressions involving calendar years
10.2 Calculus tasks
10.2.1 Newton's method
10.2.2 Implicit differentiation
10.2.3 Partial derivatives
10.2.4 Riemann sums
10.2.5 Solids of revolution
10.3 Graphing tasks
10.3.1 Friendly window
10.3.2 Graphing inequalities
10.3.3 Restricting the domain in a graph and piecewise graphs
10.3.4 Graphing in terms of y
10.3.5 Graphing conics
10.3.6 Graphing on a logarithmic scale
10.3.7 Graphing on an imaginary axis
10.3.8 Graphing the second derivative on the 83 family
11. Calculator idiosyncrasies
11.1 All calculators
11.1.1 Misplaced negation
11.1.2 Asymptote on graph
11.1.3 Variable names
11.1.4 Common math operations
11.1.5 Statistics and plotting
11.1.6 Restoring factory installed Flash Apps
11.2 TI-8x calculators
11.2.1 TI-85 table and graph text
11.2.2 Rounding error
11.2.3 TI-86 Line( command fifth argument
11.2.4 Convert number to string
11.2.5 Sequence graphing on the TI-85/86
11.2.6 Renaming programs
11.2.7 Adding columns to the 83 family list editor
11.3 TI-89 family
11.3.1 X-root
11.3.2 Fractions and decimal approximations
11.3.3 Log
11.3.4 Temperature conversion
11.3.5 Linear interpolation
11.3.6 Population standard deviation
11.3.7 Equivalent answers
11.3.8 Restrict domain for expected answer
11.3.9 Custom menu
11.3.10 Picturesque graphs
11.3.11 Step by step operations
11.3.12 Advanced tips and tricks
IV. Miscellaneous Things
12. Extra character set
12.1 More characters on the TI-85/86
12.2 Store arrow and quotes in a string on the TI-85/86
12.3 Lowercase letters on the TI-82/83
12.4 Lowercase letters and Greek on the TI-83 Flash family
13. Hacked stuff
13.1 Emulators
13.2 Memory expanders
13.3 Hardware add-ons and modifications
14. Graphing calculators for other platforms
14.1 Computers
14.2 On-line
14.3 Palm Pilot and Pocket Windows
Guide to Getting Games
Glossary
Site Map

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