Review: Sharp EL-W516T

Review:  Sharp EL-W516T

Essentials

Company:  Sharp

Year:  2017

Type:  Scientific, 4 line display

Power:  Solar

Statistics: 1 and 2 Variables

Other:  Distributions, Conversions, Constants, Matrices, Vectors, Solver

Operating System:  Algebraic

Number of Memory Registers: 9

Cost:  approximately $18.00

I purchased the calculator at my university bookstore. 

Introduction

The EL-W516T is a spiritual update of Sharp’s EL-W516 model.  The arrow keys are trapezoidal and slightly enlarged, the keys are no longer glossy, and the placements on the keyboard for some features are different (examples are the calculus functions d/dx, ∫ dx, Σ). 

What I like about the EL-W516T is that you can set the WriteView mode to either show exact values or show all answers in approximate decimals.  In approximate mode, only decimal answers and fractions will be shown.  If you want answers in terms of square roots (radicals) or π, you will need to be in exact mode. In earlier models, exact was the default.   

The display is still four lines and very crisp.  The processing speed of the EL-W516T is about the same as its predecessor, which is still decent and fast.  It took about 27 seconds to calculate Σ(1/(x^2), x, 0, 500). 

The EL-W516T carries over the statistics mode, along with the regressions, drill mode, complex number mode, and the solve mode.  You can solve general equations (in the form of f(x) = 0), quadratic equations, cubic equations, 2 x 2 linear systems, or 3 x 3 linear systems. 

There are several added functions to the EL-W516T.  In normal mode, we get LCD, GCD, integer division, and the product of f(x) calculus functions.  In matrix mode, we get the row echelon forms (ref and rref).  The EL-W516T bumps the number of available distributions to 3, adding Binomial and Poisson, and creates a separate mode for it.  We also gain the valuable inverse normal distribution function. 

However, not everything from the EL-W516X made it to the EL-W516T.  For instance, instead of lists, the EL-W516T has vectors.  Regretfully, the formula memory registers that the EL-W516X had are not present on the EL-W516T. 

  

The ALPHA/”3rd F” Key

The [ALPHA] key acts more as a hybrid ALPHA/third shift key.  Case in point:

[ALPHA], [ ( ]:  Integral (∫)

[ALPHA], [ ) ]:  Derivative (dx)

[ALPHA], [ * ]:  Sum (Σ)

[ALPHA], [ ÷ ]: Product (Π)

[ALPHA], [ 4 ]: Constants

[ALPHA], [ 5 ]: Conversions

[ALPHA], [ 1 ] and [ 2 ]:  Engineering notation shifts

[ALPHA], [ 9 ]:  Display A-F, X, Y, and M on one screen

Comparison Sharp EL-W516 vs. EL-W516T

Sharp EL-W516X on the left (older), EL-W516T on the right (newer)

Here is a side by side comparison with the new EL-W516T against the previous EL-W516.  You can see my review for the EL-W516 here:    http://edspi31415.blogspot.com/2011/09/sharp-el-w516x-review.html

That was six years ago. Time flies!   In the EL-W516T column, I marked additional functions in green and things that didn’t make it to the EL-W516T in red. 

The EL-W516T (the one with the T) is the new version. 

	EL-W516 (2011)	EL-W516T (2017)
Number of Functions, according to Sharp	556	640
Calculus	Derivative (d/dx) Integral ( ∫ dx) Sum (Σ)	Derivative (d/dx) Integral ( ∫ dx) Sum (Σ f(x)) Product (Π f(x))
Catalog	Yes	Not available
Variables	9:  A, B, C, D, E, F, X, Y, M (independent)	9:  A, B, C, D, E, F, X, Y, M (independent)
Formula Memory	4:  F1, F2, F3, F4	Not available
Stored Function Memory	3:  D1, D2, D3, D4	3:  D1, D2, D3, no forth slot
Complex Numbers	Arithmetic, rectangular/polar conversion, square, cube, conjugate, absolute value	Arithmetic, rectangular/polar conversion, square, cube, conjugate, absolute value, argument, real part, imaginary part
Bases	5:  Decimal (default), Hexadecimal, Binary, Octal, Pental (base 5).  Logic operations AND, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR included in non-decimal modes.	5:  Decimal (default), Hexadecimal, Binary, Octal, Pental (base 5). Logic operations AND, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR included in non-decimal modes.
Number of Regressions	7:  Linear (a+bx), Quadratic (a+b+cx^2), Exponential (a*e^(bx)), Logarithmic (a+b*ln x), Power (a*x^b), Inverse (a + b/x), Geometric (a*b^x)	7:  Linear (a+bx), Quadratic (a+b+cx^2), Exponential (a*e^(bx)), Logarithmic (a+b*ln x), Power (a*x^b), Inverse (a + b/x), Geometric (a*b^x)
Numeric Functions	% (divided by 100), log_a	% (divided by 100), log_a, GCD, LCM, iPart, fPart, int÷
Price Factorization	No	Yes
Number of Conversions	44	44
Number of Constants	52	52
Table Function	No	Up to 2 functions in the form of f(x), table can be scrolled
Polynomial Solver	Quadratic, Cubic	Quadratic, Cubic
Simultaneous Equations	2 x 2 system, 3 x 3 system	2 x 2 system, 3 x 3 system
Matrix Size Limit	4 x 4, 4 matrices	4 x 4, 4 matrices
Matrix functions	Inverse, determinant, transpose, identity, fill, random matrix, cumulative matrix, augment 2 matrices	Inverse, determinant, transpose, identity, fill, random matrix, ref, rref (cumulative matrix, augment are not available)
Approx/Exact	Exact by default, press [CHANGE] for approximate	Can be set up
Random functions	Random number, dice roll, coin toss, random integer	Random number, dice roll, coin toss, random integer
Distributions	Normal (area only) – in Statistics Mode	Distributions gets their own mode:  Normal and inverse, Binomial, Poisson
Lists	List functions	Not available (gets replaced with Vector Mode, see below)
Vectors	Not available	Vectors: 4 vectors up to 3 elements each: dot product, cross product, angle between vectors, unit vector
Home Button: automatically switch to Normal Mode	No	Yes

Final Verdict

Sharp has revamped the EL-W516 line with the EL-W516T.  I like the additional functions and the new vector and table modes.  The only thing that I wish Sharp didn’t drop was the definable function registers.  Sharp instead kept the quick functional slots (D1 – D3) instead. 

For me, the non-glossy keys are a plus, but this is a personal preference.

Overall, the EL-W516T is a good calculator to consider purchasing. 

Eddie

This blog is property of Edward Shore, 2017