How many calculators do you bring in the exam?

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jackofalltrades

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I set out below the units I plan to bring, unless I lose any of them:
1. HP12C
2. HP12C Platinum
3. Extra HP12C, just in case any of the above lucks out
 
CFA does provide calculators if yours does not work. I take only 1.
 
2 should be more than enough unless you want to play with them in the exam
 
idreesz Wrote:
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> CFA does provide calculators if yours does not
> work. I take only 1.
Can you link CFAI website to confirm this? I dont think CFAI provides you with calculators should your stop working. Correct me if i’m wrong
 
Yeah, I am living proof to this since my 1 and only calculator got busted during the level 1 exam, and I requested the moderator to provide me with a spare. They just penalized me by slashing off 2 points from the exam. No worries!
 
I usually bring about 12-16 pencils, 15-20 erasers, and a dozen earplugs along with my 5 calculators case the battery dies on any one of them, you never know and it’s better to be safe. I pack heat when I walk into the testing center.
 
Don’t your pencils already have built in erasers? In addition to my 3 calculators, I also bring 3 pencils with their respective erasers, plus a sharpener.
 
I broght 2 calculators and about 20 pencils… But don’t worry about it, you can always borrow…
BUT don’t forget your ID !!!!!!!!
 
I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote:
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> I pack heat when I walk into the testing center.
hahaha. nice.
 
jackofalltrades Wrote:
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> I set out below the units I plan to bring, unless
> I lose any of them:
> 1. HP12C
> 2. HP12C Platinum
> 3. Extra HP12C, just in case any of the above
> lucks out
Dude come on…3 calculators?
P(calculator 1 dies after studying with it for 6 months)=10%
P(Calculator 2 dies with a brand new battery maybe using it a few times=1%
P(you will need calculator 3 given above probabilities)=.1*.01= .1% you will need a 3rd calculator given my (very) generous percentages.
 
jackofalltrades Wrote:
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> Yeah, I am living proof to this since my 1 and
> only calculator got busted during the level 1
> exam, and I requested the moderator to provide me
> with a spare. They just penalized me by slashing
> off 2 points from the exam. No worries!
That is lie. I had to take a make-up exam and they took off a full letter grade. If weren’t for the extra credit questions in the end, I will still be studying for L2 this year.
 
I brought two calculators , TI-BA II plus, one new, and the backup, a used and abused one I got from ebay. I walked out of the exam with only one.
For the L1 exam last Dec., I was in a line, outside the testing room, waiting for the doors to open, and a chinese guy who looked like he just got out of bed and ran to the testing centre approaches me. He was panicking - wearing track pants, hair sticking out, don’t think he even had the time to wash up. Huffing and puffing, he asks me that since I had two calculators, if he can borrow one. WTF?! I said no. As we’re beginning to shuffle into the room, I took another look at him. Absolute misery. The dude was just staring blank outside. All that preparation down the toilet.
I went back to him, who was just loitering around the door, and gave him my half-busted backup calculator. He opens his wallet and takes all the money in it, and hands it to me - 80 bucks, I think. I had a house-warming party to go to that night after the exam, so I spent the whole 80 bucks on some cheap bottles of champaign.
So, pays to bring more than 1 calculator. You never know.
 
One calculator with fresh batteries is exactly what you will need in the testing room. If you check the calculator beforehand, the probability that it will be somehow damaged during the exam is at least a couple of hundred times smaller than droping out of the exams for any other reason. Even though there is substantial fat tale to this strategy, it can be largely mitigated by having a second battery wih you ;).
 
I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote:
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> I cant believe you took the poor chinaman’s money
> man. Have some respect for yourself bro.
Yeah, at least ask the chinaman for some cheap production and maybe currency deregulation…
 
Even though there is even a remote chance that any of the calculators would breakdown during the exam, I would not take the risk. After reviewing for 6 months, I do not want to fail just because my calculator conks out on the day of the exam.
If you were in the situation of the chinaman, I am sure you would be willing to shell out $250 for any calculator.
 
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