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Technology is standard with kids these days. Most of them are using computers before their third birthdays and it’s rare to find a teenager without an MP3 player or smartphone. So when it comes to education it’s not surprising that calculators are exceeding what would have been defined as “Star Trek” technology years ago.
Casio is not a name you instantly recognize in that field. Watches. Yep. Cameras. Yep. Calculators. Casio makes calculators? Yep! And the Casio PRIZM fx-CG10 is sleek, intuitive and may surprise even your teenager with what it can do with numbers and graphs. Math and Science will become engaging for them when they see the formulas and graphs input and output on its full-color LCD screen that can display 65,536 colors!
The PRIZM may seem overwhelming at first glance, but my husband and sophomore aged daughter dove right into using it.
Here’s what each of them had to say in regards to the PRIZM:
Amber (Student) – The Casio graphing calculator is well designed. Compared to other graphing calculators, the PRIZM has larger and fewer buttons, but the same amount or even more features because of the ‘shift’ and ‘alpha’ buttons.
The light up screen is a huge plus, allowing you to easily see your work. The PRIZM graphing calculator takes advantage of the colored screen and makes the calculator simpler to navigate and allows you to make pictographs with fun images.
The only thing I have found so far that I dislike is that I have to go to the bottom of the calculator to select the function I want to use from the menu, when it would be a lot easier if that were either nearer to the top or on the selector pad itself.
Husband (Teacher/Parent) – Upon taking the Casio PRIZM calculator out of the packaging I immediately went with a USB cable and connected it to the computer to make sure it was at the latest firmware. The software update process was simple. Much easier than a previous brand of graphing calculator we own.
I appreciate that it uses not just regular batteries (4AAA) but that you can also use Nimh rechargeable batteries with it. That should save us some money by not having to replace batteries all the time, or having to recharge a lithium ion batter or buy a specific battery for use. The energy-saving screen is also a nice feature, it dims when the calculator has not been in use for a bit and auto powers off after either 10 or 60 minutes whichever you choose.
The color screen is sharp and is a high-resolution. The menu system is easy to navigate which is great for parents and teachers who may not be quite as adept with technology as their children or students are! It also has nice big keys (for people with fat fingers, like me!). I only wish the pad that you use for the menu selection would also be the selector by pressing in the middle of it.
There are also no worries for test taking as the PRIZM is approved for ACT, SAT and other standardized exams.
Me – I don’t have much more to add, and this might sound silly to some, but I appreciated that this calculator has a cover that is easy to take on and off. The other graphing calculator we own has a cover that I have broken a number of fingernails on! Who wants to do math with something that has frustrated you before you’ve even turned it on? The PRIZM’s protective cover easily snaps on and off and whether the calculator is on its own, or stored in the cover even when in use, there are nice little “slip grips” on the backs of both so that it stays firmly on the surface while using.
I think when you see the amount of math/science equations the PRIZM can compute you realize that this is a calculator that is worth investing in, and will last through middle school, high school and higher education classes. It performs computations covering statistics, spreadsheets, graphs of all kinds, tables, linear equations, financial calculations, geometry, conversions and the ultimate: Picture Plots.
In Picture Plot mode you can take images and plot points on them and perform numerous different tasks from the plotted points. Students will retain information when they learn the math involved on images like; plotting points on a stone arch, drawing graphs using a juggler and his balls, or my personal favorite using plot points to make a gold fish leap from one bowl to another!
What’s really unique about this feature is that you can take your own photos, format them and upload them to the calculator. Teens might be looking for mathematical objects out in the world because of this!
What amazes me is that with all we’ve used it for so far, it seems we have really only scratched the surface of what the PRIZM can do. With basic functionality it can be used for Pre-Algebra. Our daughter is currently taking Pre-Calculus and Physics and it’s more than sufficient for the calculations she needs to do for them. We also know it will serve her well in her studies for many years to come no matter what math or science subjects she chooses to pursue.
The PRIZM fx-CG10 retails for about $129.99 and is available online and in stores nation wide. Taking into account all it offers, that is a competitive price. You can learn more about what you can do with the PRIZM on the Casio Education website (including a lesson library) and about it specs and features at Casio.com.
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