In a darkened Algebra II classroom, all eyes were on an illuminated graphing calculator projected three feet high on the white board as students studied a series of graphs and talked about absolute value functions.
The weightless image of a TI-84 Plus Silver Edition graphing calculator is a far cry from early typewriter-size calculators that weighed 55 pounds and plugged into an outlet. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the moment that revolutionized not only the calculator but also the way students learn math. It was 40 years ago that three Texas Instruments scientists shrank that monstrosity and created the hand-held calculator.
To mark the milestone, the Texas company donated some historic hand-helds to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History last week as symbols of change in the United States. The devices will go alongside the table Thomas Jefferson used when he wrote the Declaration of Independence and the top hat Abraham Lincoln wore when he was assassinated.
In math classrooms, calculators mechanized finger counting, pencil-and-paper calculations and slide rules. Elementary students weaned on Little Professor calculators that can add, subtract, multiply and divide move on to graphing calculators in later grades. Future students will use programmable devices that show algebraic formulas, graphs and word problems on the same screen.