• @AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.world
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    519 months ago

    The TI-89 was ~$100 when I bought one 20 years ago. Looked it up on Amazon and they’re $100-$150 depending on the specific model. They haven’t kept up with inflation at all, which means they’ve been getting cheaper this whole time…

    • @uis@lemm.ee
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      299 months ago

      For 100$ you can buy new phone and install any math software you want

          • @Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world
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            -249 months ago

            Thanks. I’ve been working with my state legislator to create new laws that give schools the legal ability to expel engineering students caught using Calculator rom’s. These roms have no business in education. I think with this information we can make great strides.

            • JackbyDev
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              209 months ago

              Please be a joke. Please be a joke. Please be a joke.

              • @Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                I made my first fortune by stealing attention and selling it as a middle man without ever giving people a cut of the profits even though it was their time. I told them they would get new features like unskippable ads and progressive pricing for services they originally had but I now place behind a paywall.

                Easy enough to do all this. Just put a fresh charming face on it like a Mr.Beast and give them a cut and they will rob every kid of their free time so I can sell it. But that industry is saturated I don’t think most people have a minute in their day without being sold something now and it’s hard to find a space to cram more ads into a persons day so I moved on.

                I am now working to restrict peoples ability to find solutions to costly practices in order to keep the price of things like this inflated through legislation. Why should people be allowed to build their own solutions or fix products they’re unknowingly licensing. Its not theirs.

                • @nooneescapesthelaw@mander.xyz
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                  29 months ago

                  Finally, an internet warrior actually helping the world!

                  Could you also address this single ply nonsense I’ve seen in stores? Half ply should be the maximum, the modern anus is far too coddled today and is turning us soft when we should all be hard

        • @Opisek@lemmy.world
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          39 months ago

          For Android, CalcES. It’s modelled after the Casio scientific calculators, so if you’ve ever used those, the app will come naturally to you. Absolute must-have if you want to calculate anything complicated on your phone.

        • @silasmariner@programming.dev
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          29 months ago

          J (technically it’s a whole unique programming language with a learning curve that’s arguably more of a learning cliff, but it’s very heavily geared towards maths and also has some nice graphing modules)

        • JackbyDev
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          39 months ago

          I mean, even just one that has the functions of a graphing calculator.

  • @protist@mander.xyz
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    9 months ago

    My TI-89 from 1998 still works perfectly, so at least you only have to buy it once.

    Because of their longevity, there are a ton on the aftermarket for like $40

  • @JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works
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    969 months ago

    You only need a graphing calculator because you’re not allowed to use wolfram alpha, desmos, or Matlab. Since you’re mandated to use graphing calculators, (sometimes even specific models) there’s no incentive to make them cheaper or better since you need to buy them anyway.

    • Pennomi
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      599 months ago

      Yep, graphing calculators are a forced necessity for school, therefore they can charge anything they want and people will still buy them. This kind of artificial demand causes extreme price inelasticity and is capitalism at its worst.

      Same deal with university books, you are forced to buy them so they cost hundreds of dollars, when they could easily be sold at a profit for a quarter of the cost.

        • @greenskye@lemm.ee
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          99 months ago

          But there aren’t ‘new’ graphing calculators being required and they don’t get worn out that easily. There’s a relatively stable amount of people who need one at any given time, so honestly I’d have expected the second hand market to have crashed the market more than it has. There should honestly be multiple times over more graphing calculators in circulation than there is a need for them.

      • @JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works
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        89 months ago

        Yup, free market only incentives competition when it’s actually free. Demand monopolys are just as bad as supply ones.

    • Neato
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      189 months ago

      When I was in school, it was always specific models. They had to limit it to one brand and like 2-3 known good models to prevent the ones that could solve equations.

      So there’s no reason for TI to ever lower prices.

  • @GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml
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    279 months ago

    The demand is basically artificial since there are a limited amount of calculator models that are allowed to be used on tests at universities. Since they can get away with it, they keep charging these prices.

    • Xavienth
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      19 months ago

      I had one professor who could tell almost any calculator model from 30 feet away. Other than him I never had any professor care about the specific model of calculator during an examination.

    • ✺roguetrick✺
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      79 months ago

      Plus those models are using the same exact chip fabs with the same exact inputs that they always have.

  • @undergroundoverground@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Its okay, as I neoclassical economist, I know exactly how to fix this issue.

    Tax breaks for the rich.

    Ask me to solve any economic problem, I have the answers.

  • @Got_Bent@lemmy.world
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    29 months ago

    I remember getting my Texas instruments financial calculator circa 2009 for probably fifty dollars or so.

    The professor told us that at the time, production costs for my fifty dollar calculator were roughly a dollar.

    On the bright side, I’ll bring that thing in whenever I buy a car and it truly fucks with the whole “what kind of payment are you looking for” routine they do. (Though these days, I’m more likely to bring a laptop with Excel. Same idea, but faster and better visuals)

  • Kalcifer
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    79 months ago

    Essentially, it’s because it’s a monopolistic/anti-competitive relationship, so the producer is able to charge much more than if it were competitive. The producer seeks to maximize profits, and the schools enable them by effectively controlling the market.

  • @einlander@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    And that’s why I own a Casio graphing calculator. Way cheaper than TI. BTW TI calculator are more expressive because you essentially are passing TI to indoctrinate you. Thr price of the calculator factors in the teaching materials, conferences, and marketing.

  • @GreatDong3000@lemm.ee
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    79 months ago

    For economists (and business) students it isn’t a graphing calculator but same thing with HP12c (financial calculator). But it is only like 40 dollars.

    • @TenderfootGungi@lemmy.world
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      29 months ago

      One of the scientific calculators has great business functions in a menu (ti83 maybe?). I prefered it to actual business calculators. And it could handle the science classes as well.

      I don’t remember the exact model, though. Once out of school we use excel.