Texas Instruments (TI) has loads of apps for TI 83/84 calculators, which are widely used in math and science classes across the country. Here are some of the apps for Chemistry. Browse the activities and educators tab, too. One of the most useful apps is Science Tools or SciTools. It has unit conversions. I teach the kiddos how to convert before I show them the app in the calculator. The Periodic Table app has information to use when plotting Periodic Trends. (Teens find tables of information to be easier to use than the calculator.)
TI graphing calculators are not intuitive. Downloading or transferring data can be confusing. The easiest method is to use a unit to unit transfer cable which works with TI 83 or TI 84 calculators. Use a mini USB transfer cable for a transfer between TI 84 to TI 84 calculators. (The method in the video is the same for TI 84 calculators.) This process works if one calculator has the desired app and another doesn’t.
I have run into compatibility issues. For example, a TI 83 plus will send to a TI 83; a TI 84 can send to a TI 83–but not vice versa. What if you don’t know someone with a graphing calculator already loaded with apps? You can download data from a laptop to the graphing calculator with a TI Connectivity Kit.
The TI 84 can also use this USB Computer Cable. Be warned! Downloading an app from TI is a production whenever you install programs from the computer. Teens borrow my cable and download games. Once one kiddo has the program, they use the mini-link to transfer apps to each other’s calculators.
Apart from SciTools, my favorite app is the Easy Data app, which is preloaded on TI 84 calculators. As soon as you plug in the probe, the Easy Data software loads and recognizes the probe.
I invest time teaching the Chem class how to convert before introductions SciTools. Most of the time, it’s handy to convert units in the middle of a problem—especially pressure units in gas law problems. When I taught in public school, I had to watch teens to be sure they weren’t playing a game on their calculator—much like they do on their cell phones. I’m prepared to take away calculators or cell phones if they become a problem.
I have GraphNCalc83 app on my iPads. The format looks a bit different on an iPad from the calculator. It is now free! The Chemistry apps have Periodic Table properties, but not SciTools or Easy Data.
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