That'll be the one they did the accounts with last year. Stick with the Casio

I'm currently at university and I can say that this has been the approved calculator all throughout secondary school, 6th form/college and now university. Generally if it's not Casio fx-83.., fx-85.. (with specific exceptions), you can't use it in an exam. Obviously it might vary between schools or exam boards but i'd say it's a very safe bet that these are suitable for any level. I've had to spend £15 on a few of these over the past few years when i've misplaced them so £3 is an amazing price :smiley:

A Level maths teacher here.

These will be fine for the new GCSE but NOT the new A Level that is starting this September as it doesn't have the necessary statistical tables built in, nor can it work with matrices. There are also lots of 'unrequired but very very helpful' functions in the more advanced calculators (including but not limited to graphics).

Best non-graphics calculator that does all you need (and much more) is the Casio FX-991EX as mentioned above. The 991ES is okay too (looks like a silver version of this one) but much older and the interface is poor and very unintuitive compared to the 991EX.

The FX 991ES is actually the current recommended one for A level maths, this one is only GCSE.

In fact, if they're doing further maths at A-level they'll want the FX 991EX, might only be a change of letter but the difference is huge. Google it and you'll see there is much discussion about whether it's actually allowed in the exams but it definitely is. Taken all the stress away from my 16 year old, who had both the FX 85GT and the simpler version of the FX 991.

It's not officially available in the UK at the moment but Amazon UK import it and there are several suppliers on ebay, usually in India. You tell it from the 'normal' version by the particularly tacky fake carbon finish and chrome buttons :smiley:

exact configuration calculator - Tesco brand is £1.50

I purchased a couple way back and both my children use them at secondary school HOWEVER one of them plans to start 6th form in Sept and they won't be using this calculator and they were making quite a big thing about the new one so might be worth checking if stocking up.

The FX 991ES is actually the current recommended one for A level maths, this one is only GCSE.

In fact, if they're doing further maths at A-level they'll want the FX 991EX, might only be a change of letter but the difference is huge. Google it and you'll see there is much discussion about whether it's actually allowed in the exams but it definitely is. Taken all the stress away from my 16 year old, who had both the FX 85GT and the simpler version of the FX 991.

It's not officially available in the UK at the moment but Amazon UK import it and there are several suppliers on ebay, usually in India. You tell it from the 'normal' version by the particularly tacky fake carbon finish and chrome buttons :smiley:

I'm currently at university and I can say that this has been the approved calculator all throughout secondary school, 6th form/college and now university. Generally if it's not Casio fx-83.., fx-85.. (with specific exceptions), you can't use it in an exam. Obviously it might vary between schools or exam boards but i'd say it's a very safe bet that these are suitable for any level. I've had to spend £15 on a few of these over the past few years when i've misplaced them so £3 is an amazing price :smiley:

Well I had to use a Casio Graphics Calculator FX-9750GII (Albeit an older model version, otherwise identical) only a few years ago for effectively Further Maths A Level.
It seems more complicated than any of the Scientific Calculators listed above but is also >£60. I recently re-sold my older version for £55 delivered on Amazon as it had been in a draw for a few years.

Obviously this is fine for GCSE. And AS. And probably A level maths. But you'll want to be certain you don't need a graphical calculator as we did. I imagine you would need something like I have suggested for studying mathematics at university.

Must be cheap because it's old stock then, the official Casio displays have said the 991ES is recommended A-level one for at least the past year. There are rumours that the 991EX hasn't been released here as they have massive stocks of the ES to shift but take that with a pinch of salt.

If she's doing further maths do her a favour and get the 991 EX though, she might not know she needs it now, as my lad didn't until he saw one of his class mates and now they all want one, but that calculator alone has made up for one of his module teachers being rubbish. It might be 10 times the price but £30 for their future is nothing.

According to those that should know, the 991EX is very nearly as good as that one and it's successors and reckoned to seriously hurt their sales.

Amazon actually had it for £20 a couple of weeks ago when I bought one but I didn't realise it was a bargain at the time. Even cheaper through Amazon US including postage but I don't know what the lead time is like.

what is it that makes these recommened?
standardised teaching around their use?
exam modes?
ensuring all modes are covered?
never had or needed a graphics calculator, they become a bit of a crutch tbh
we ony really had one requirement (quite a few years back) which was they had to be reset/empty in exams

i had this one :stuck_out_tongue:

These are just fantastic for GCSE and at 3 quid it's cheaper than our school can buy them.

A Level maths teacher here.

These will be fine for the new GCSE but NOT the new A Level that is starting this September as it doesn't have the necessary statistical tables built in, nor can it work with matrices. There are also lots of 'unrequired but very very helpful' functions in the more advanced calculators (including but not limited to graphics).

Best non-graphics calculator that does all you need (and much more) is the Casio FX-991EX as mentioned above. The 991ES is okay too (looks like a silver version of this one) but much older and the interface is poor and very unintuitive compared to the 991EX.

has guided me through high school and my masters degree. cant complain.

Surely a phone app could do all this (and more)? Is it just an exam requirement that they can't use phones?

I think most kids would just use their phones with a calculator app.

80085

I know someone who used the FX-CG 20 which is an expensive graphics calculator! Used it in his A level maths and further maths exams! Last year too.

Great price for a great calculator but has anyone other than the OP actually got one at this price. Edinburgh, Corstorphine still charging £11.99. Seems like a lot of heat for a very limited deal.

It's available most places except here, where they are still punting the old ES. As I said Amazon UK are selling it directly but it comes from abroad, Amazon US it's a local stock item.

For upcoming A-levels, forget the one linked, your kid will hate you for it, still great for GCSE though. Take Athia's advice as a teacher if you don't trust a parent!

In fact, I hadn't even realised processor performance was a thing now, in my day answers just appeared, but my lad gave me a quick demo of some relatively simple algebra (!) and the EX kicked out the answer in five seconds, the ES took over a minute. In an exam that can make a huge difference to their stress levels! Apparently it's much easier to use too.

Hot!, this deal adds up

Hi, not all branches of Tesco have this deal.

Yeah sure, why even bother with a calculator, just use google. :wink:

As much as the posters on here may be correct about the usefulness of the 991EX, b1g1an is unfairly pushing it way too hard at the expense of one of the most popular calculators around - 85GT.
Your kid will not hate for buying the one linked that's for sure, and more likely to hate you for buying the 991EX. They are old enough to buy their own calculator so tell your kids about the one being suggested and they'll probably rush to Tesco to buy one of these cheap ones.
I completed my A-level Maths (A*) and Fmaths in 2011 before going on to study Maths at Uni of Nottingham. I am studying as an accountant and teach maths at at all levels below university as a private tutor. I have only ever used the 83ES, plus an older 85MS as a spare so that I always had one that wouldn't be taken. Everyone uses one of the 83ES-85GT models, even if they have a more advanced calculator.
My younger bro only used the 991ES at GCSE +Alevel (because that's what he picked up from the shops at the time) and now uses sharp elw531 for Engineering and Comp sci. at uni.
So even if you wanted to buy the more expensive ones, which depend on your child's preference, the possible changing exam body requirements, and the teacher's own requirements, I would definitely snap up a couple of these ones on offer at Tesco.
No need to think too far ahead, as this is solid option even if it ends up being back up.


Possibly, but I doubt they'd be as easy and quick to use and have all the functions that a proper scientific calculator has (though I haven't researched this), plus using them will come with the baggage of added distractions that come on a mobile phone during a time when you should be working, not forgetting the fact that the limited battery life and storage space that phones have means that an actual calculator would be far more reliable.

And yes, it goes without saying that a phone wouldn't be permitted in exams and so even outside of exams, students should be using an actual calculator so that they are fully accustomed to it. :smiley:

Has any one else been able to buy this at £3?