Choice of Calculator

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buckeye59

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Which one is better - The Texas Instruments BA II Plus (including BA II Plus Professional) or the Hewlett Packard 12C (including HP 12C Platinum)? So it actually sounds like there is now a choice of four calculators. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? I have time now to practice and learn.
 
Calculators were not that much needed during the exam last June. I used it maybe for 20 questions maximum. So it looks like it is not such a big deal...whichever calculator you will buy is good. I don"t think there is a huge difference between them. If somebody tells me and prove that you can get higher score with this or that calculator, then maybe I will think...
 
A kind reminder that there is a search function. Your answer will be found here:
http://www.analystforum.com/phorums/read.php?11,414763,415912#msg-415912
 
Answer: Both are good.

BAII = Cheaper, easier to learn.

HP = Harder to learn, but a quicker calculator at calculating things and more expensive.

NOTE: the HP 12c Used reverse polish notation, which is really cool, but definatly a time saver and is basically a different way of operating a calculator.
 
This link might help:

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/normancafe/StudyRm_CFACalculator.htm
 
You ability to pass will not be limited by which calculator you are using.
 
I posted something similar to this question a few months ago. I ended up getting the HP12C Platinum.

I was concerned about the use of RPN (hadn't used it since the 70's), and the HP12C Plat. also has algebraic entry mode. Now that I have the option, I never use algebraic entry when working on problems for the exam. At work I still use my HP10BII. Swiching from one to the other is not that confusing.
 
Whichever calculator you use, just make sure you know how to use it well before the exam. Spend part of the last month just learning how to do problems on the calculator. Exam time is NOT the time to try to figure out how the bond functions or annuity functions work.

Even if you know your calculator, the stress of exam time can make you screw it up. There was one question on the exam about setting up a retirement fund. I knew exactly how to do it but I was stressed out and for some reason was not able to get a the annuity function to stop giving me an error. Bloody annoying... every time before and since, I've been fine with these types of calculations, but somehow, I couldn't do it at exam time. So know your calculator down pat.

One thing I liked about the Stalla course (don't know about Schwesser or others) is that the materials told you how to enter the information into the calculator. I don't think the CFA materials went into that, and it saved me a lot of time and worry.

I like RPN, and it comes in handy when calculations get lengthy; if it's new to you just be sure you know it well a month or two before exam time.
 
My initial inclination was to purchase the BA II Plus. However, If the HP 12C Platinum includes algebraic entry mode (in addition to RPN), maybe I'll get this one. I'll try to get used to to RPN since people say it's faster for certain calculations, but if that doesn't work, I can just use algebraic mode which is what I'm most comfortable with.

Is this a reasonable idea, assuming that budgetary constraints are not a concern? For reference, the HP 12C Platinum is about $40-50 more than the BA II Plus Professional.
 
I guess the better way to phrase my question is, is there a need for both algebraic and RPN modes, which the HP 12C Platinum provides? Or do most people just tend to stick with one mode or the other, depending on which they're more familiar with?

The general feedback I have read so far is that people should just stick with what they're most comfortable with, but I wanted to get a sense of whether a calculator that provides both algebraic and RPN modes like the HP 12 Platinum would give you any meaningful advantage on the CFA exam.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 11:46AM by numi.
 
"but I wanted to get a sense of whether a calculator that provides both algebraic and RPN modes like the HP 12 Platinum would give you any meaningful advantage on the CFA exam."

I doubt it - once I am in RPN mode (or the other one) it takes me some time to switch to other and I end up having to key in things multiple times to get it right.
 
RPN = "Reverse Polish Notation"

"Algebraic Mode" is the way most calculators work. For example, for 5x7=35

5 (times button) 7 (equals button) ... 35

In RPN, you enter 5, then 7 and press x to get the product.

5 (enter button) 7 (times button) ... 35



For simple things like 5x7 or 3-2, algebraic mode is more intuitive. RPN really helps with longer calculations that involve parentheses and such. You work from the innermost parenthesis outward. It's pretty smooth once you get the hang of it. Now that algebraic calculators have parentheses buttons, it's no longer an essential tool, but those who like it tend to say it's an elegant solution. Turns out that if you have RPN, you never or almost never need to use parentheses or write down intermediate answers to solve a problem.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 01:20PM by bchadwick.
 
You know somethin'? With apologies to HP users, I believe the HP 12 is a really dorky, nerdy calculator. Prefer the TI professional meself. Really posh and flashy little piece of machine.
 
memalos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know somethin'? With apologies to HP users, I
> believe the HP 12 is a really dorky, nerdy
> calculator. Prefer the TI professional meself.
> Really posh and flashy little piece of machine.

yeah, girls dig guys with TI.
 
memalos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know somethin'? With apologies to HP users, I
> believe the HP 12 is a really dorky, nerdy
> calculator. Prefer the TI professional meself.
> Really posh and flashy little piece of machine.

Hmmmmm, so it's better to be all flash and no substance? (yes, I'm joking).

Either will be fine. I decided on the 12C Platinum simply because we have a couple people that upgraded from the 12c, and I may be able to borrow one for a standby when I take the exam (saving me the $75-80 to get a second one).
 
I love the way ppl. feel passionately about their calculators. Remember the movie: Revenge of the Nerds? Those big calculators these guys were sporting? And they got all the hot cheerleaders in the end. Damn....

Ok the truth is that the 12C is way slower than TI, on the other hand it is really quality built. The TI, especially the basic TI II thing, is very cheaply built and even the keys wont press properly, if you type fast. So always check it during the exam.

I would rather have the Casio scientific calculators meself, if there was a choice.
Oh BTW why did CFAi choose calculators only from American companies?
 
I have researched the topic a bit and for the pro , the HP 12c seems to have a slight speed edge over the BA II plus, from what I hear. On the other hand the BA II plus is very good, easy to learn, cheap, the battery lasts forever and is just about as fast (as I would recon) if you get proficient on it.

I have gotten very quick on the BA II plus, even to the point where I could get most SchweserPro problems done in at most 1.5 minutes for Level 1, which is quite a feat considering most calculation problems usually involved multiple steps and reading (most of which were longer than the CFA L1 questions).
 
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