Texas Instruments

The TI-84 Plus CE for IB Maths: the five skills every paper needs

The home screen is a command line. Most IB functions are reached through 2nd plus a key (2nd VARS gives the distributions, 2nd TRACE gives the graph analysis menu) and then typed with the arguments in brackets.

Exam status. Allowed in IB exams, including the Python edition. Apps that are not on the IB list may need to be removed by your school before the exam, and some schools reset the memory on the day.

normalcdf · invNorm

Normal distribution on the TI-84 Plus CE

2nd VARS opens DISTR: 2 normalcdf(lower, upper, mu, sigma) and 3 invNorm(area, mu, sigma, tail).

2ndVARS (DISTR)2: normalcdf(lower: 180upper: 1E99μ: 170σ: 8PasteENTER

Full steps, worked example, interactive checker and what to write

binompdf · binomcdf

Binomial distribution on the TI-84 Plus CE

2nd VARS (DISTR): A binompdf(n, p, k) and B binomcdf(n, p, k). The cdf has ONE bound (P(X ≤ k)), so "between" and "at least" need a subtraction.

2ndVARS (DISTR)A: binompdf(trials: 20p: 1/6x value: 4PasteENTER

Full steps, worked example, interactive checker and what to write

linear regression · exponential regression

Regression and correlation on the TI-84 Plus CE

STAT, 1 Edit for the lists; STAT, CALC, then 4 LinReg(ax+b), 0 ExpReg or A PwrReg. Turn STAT DIAGNOSTICS ON in MODE or r will not appear.

MODESTAT DIAGNOSTICS: ONSTAT1: EditL1: 0 1 2 3 4 5L2: 2.1 3.4 5.7 9.0 15.1 24.8

Full steps, worked example and what to write

nSolve · polynomial roots

Solving equations on the TI-84 Plus CE

MATH, C Numeric Solver for one equation; APPS, PlySmlt2 for polynomial roots; Y=, GRAPH, then 2nd TRACE (CALC), 5 intersect for crossings.

APPSPlySmlt21: Polynomial Root FinderORDER: 3NEXTa3=1, a2=−4, a1=1, a0=3SOLVEMATHC: Numeric SolverE1: e^(X)E2: 3−XOKX=1ALPHAENTER (SOLVE)

Full steps, worked example and what to write

TVM solver · finance solver

TVM and finance solver on the TI-84 Plus CE

APPS, 1 Finance, 1 TVM Solver. Fill six fields, move to the seventh, press ALPHA ENTER (SOLVE).

APPS1: Finance1: TVM SolverN: 60I%: 4.8PV: 12000FV: 0P/Y: 12C/Y: 12PMT: END

Full steps, worked example and what to write

The other calculators

Written by Pietro Meloni, PhD, IB Mathematics and Physics tutor. Keystrokes checked on TI-Nspire CX II OS 6, Casio fx-CG50 OS 3 and TI-84 Plus CE OS 5; older systems may number the menus differently. Not affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization, Texas Instruments or Casio. Found a key that has moved? Write to pietro@pietromeloni.com.

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