TI-36

The TI-36 line is a series of scientific calculators manufactured and distributed by Texas Instruments. It currently represents the high end of Texas Instruments' line of scientific calculators, and began as an offshoot of the earlier TI-35 line in 1986; the two sold alongside each other until 1996 in various forms, until the TI-35 series was finally discontinued in 1996. The current entrants in the line are the single-line display TI-36X Solar and the two-line display TI-36XII; both share features such as hexadecimal and octal calculations, with the 36XII designed particularly to appeal to those who wish to enter their problems in a format more similar to a textbook form. Unlike the TI-30 line, however, TI has not yet announced (as of January 2008) a version with a dot matrix display allowing pure textbook entry in the manner of the TI-30XS Multiview.

In addition to the standard scientific features such as trigonometric functions, exponents, logarithms, and intelligent order of operations, the current TI-36 feature pre-programmed physical constants and conversion factors, multiple user memories (3 in the Solar, 5 in the X II), traditional fractions, and 1- and 2-variable statistics. It displays entries and results on a one-line LCD with a 10-digit mantissa and 2-digit exponent.

The TI-36X Solar was originally introduced in 1991 as an enhancement to the TI-36 Solar. In 1993 Texas Instruments introduced an updated version with rubber keys and improved solar cells. In 1996 another update was released, which returned to the solid plastic buttons and introduced a sleeker case. A completely redesigned exterior was quietly released in 2004, which matches several other calculators, particularly the BA-II Plus Professional financial calculator and the TI-1706 standard calculator.

The two-line TI-36X II was released in 1999 along with equivalent models in the TI-30 and TI-34 lines, including a D-pad and a restyled case.

The TI-36X Solar is one of only four calculators [http://www.ncees.org/exams/calculators/index.php#approved] currently permitted for use on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. TI offers another calculator eligible for use on the exam, the TI-30X IIS.

External links

* [http://www.datamath.org Datamath.org, a museum of TI calculators]