Here’s the TI-83 / TI-84 program tutorial I promised to the /u/’s on reddit. I’ll cover the basics on:

Connecting the TI to your PC / Mac

What programs I use as an SAT tutor Making your own custom programs

WARNING:

If you don’t familiarize yourself with these programs, i.e., apply them to practice problems before the test, you’ll be sorry. On test day, you’ll just waste your time fumbling about.



On the 2400 SAT, 700-800 students really don’t need these programs. Problems are written to reward perspicacious students who are good at mental math.

The architecture / firmware of the TI-83 / 84 series hasn’t changed much in decades (neither has the price - thanks, TI). It’s very possible to brick your TI. If your calculator bugs out, do a system wipe via factory reset (see below). If that doesn’t work, pop the BIOS by taking out all of the batteries then unscrewing the small panel above the AAA’s. There will be a small watch battery - pull it out and wait a few minutes.

Connecting the TI-83 / 84 to your PC or Mac

Find your USB Link Cable. Keep looking; your calculator came with it. If you bought it used, you can probably find a cable on Amazon, Target / Walmart, or an office supply store. If you stole it, your “friends” probably don’t like you, and you should reevaluate your life.

Go to this website: <http://www.ticalc.org/basics/linking/software.html> Download the appropriate TI Connect for your computer’s OS. Once everything’s installed and connected, you’re ready to move on.

What programs do I use as an SAT tutor?

I’m an adamant adherent to the K.I.S.S. method - keep it simple, stupid. Since the software infrastructure of the TI-83 / 84 hasn’t changed in decades, there are tons of programs available. Many of them do the same thing, and even more are just poorly optimized by 12-year old l337 h@x0r2. Depending on your particular model, the onboard system memory of your calculator will range from comically small to ridiculously small. Therefore, I’m just going to mention a few useful programs (and no, not SAT 2 Math Dojo - it’s pretty buggy across different platforms - if it works for you, great).

Click on the names to download from TICalc.org or find them all here <http://www.ticalc.org/pub/83plus/basic/math/>:

Algebra2Plus



This one is not a program, but an application - you access it through the blue (APPS) button. It has an easily navigable menu in contrast to other “all-in-one” programs that often have a clunky, frustrating array menu. It can do:

System of equations

Access via - A+ Alg2 >> Algebra 2 >> Unknown

Graph conic sections (you don’t have to convert to “y=“ format)

Synthetic division

Access via - A+ Alg2 >> Polynomials

Imaginary numbers (even for quadratics solutions)

Prime factoring

A ton of coordinate geometry

Cheater v3.0

This is a LARGE program - if you have a bunch of silly games / random programs on your TI, you may run into issues with memory. To get started, you need to upload both <cheat3.8xp> and <low.8xp> to your calculator. However, the main program is accessed through the (PRGM) button by selecting the “cheat3″ executable. It has some handy items, especially for the SAT II Math Level 2 exam:

Heron’s formula + triangle solve



This takes care of the law of sines / cosines.



Just enter any combination of 3 unknown sides and/or angles, then it will spit out all the other unknowns, including area.

A list of trig identities

Making your own TI-83 / 84 programs

To the snarky /u/’s who boasted, “There’s no better alternative to writing your own programs. I’m so smart, and I can do it myself!” - the aforementioned programs are thousands of lines of code. Don’t you have anything better to do? What happens when your teachers force you to clear your memory before a test? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are some tips:

The high-level language programming interface on the TI is clunky and time consuming. Download the SDK from Texas Instrument’s official website: <https://education.ti.com/en/us/products/download/sdk>



from Texas Instrument’s official website: <https://education.ti.com/en/us/products/download/sdk> With the SDK:

You can write code a lot faster.



Debug code a lot more efficiently.



Save your programs onto your PC.



If you’re really l337, you can even do low-level assembly h4x.



Brick your TI beyond repair.

New to coding? Interested in trying this out?

A nice professor made this PDF of some basic programs, broken down line by line.

If you’re planning to major in a STEM field, this skill is very useful. With my 1-on-1 tutoring students in college or high school, I will walk my students through creating custom programs that correspond to problem archetypes that will likely appear on an exam or quiz. For more info, visit: