Retro Review: TI-36 Solar
Just the Facts:
Model: TI-36 Solar
Company: Texas Instruments
Type: Scientific
Display: 10 digit with 2-digit exponents
Battery: Solar
Logic: AOS
Memory Registers: 1
Years: 1984-1990
Features:
* Complex Number Arithmetic
* Rounding Numbers (to fixed number setting)
* Base Conversions
* Normal Distribution
* Single-Variable Statistics
Examples with Complex Numbers
MODE 5: CPLX
There are two separate registers to hold parts of complex numbers:
[ a ]: Real part (rectangular), Radius (polar)
[ b ]: Imaginary part (rectangular), Angle (polar)
Example 1: (4 + 3i) * (11 - 2i)
4 [ a ] 3 [ b ] [ × ] 11 [ a ] 2 [ +/- ] [ b ] [ = ]
Display: 50
Press [ b ], Display: 25
Result: 50 + 25i
Example 2: Convert 3 + 2.4i to polar form, degrees
3 [ a ] 2.4 [ b ] [ INV ] (R>P)
Display: 3.841874542
Press [ b ], Display: 38.65980826
3 + 2.4i = 3.841874542 ∠ 38.65980826°
Examples with Normal Distribution
MODE 6: STAT
There are three functions that determine the area under the normal distribution curve:
P(t) from - ∞ to t, lower tail curve
R(t) from 0 to t
Q(t) from t to ∞, upper tail curve
Note that for any t, P(t) + Q(t) = 1.
Also note that P(t), R(t), and Q(t) will operate on the standard normal curve, where μ = 0 and σ = 1, regardless of the amount of data points entered in Statistics mode through Σ+.
For z = t =2:
2 [ INV ] ( P(t) ) returns 0.97725
2 [ INV ] ( R(t) ) returns 0.47725
2 [ INV ] ( Q(t) ) returns 0.02275
Comparison: TI-36 Solar vs. TI-35 Plus
The TI-36 Solar and TI-35 Plus have the same set of functions and features. You can see my retro review from 2017 of the TI-35 Plus here: http://edspi31415.blogspot.com/2017/09/retro-review-texas-instruments-ti-35.html
There are several keyboard differences:
Shift key is marked [ INV ] (with 2nd above it) for the TI-36 Solar, and the shift key is marked [ 2nd ] for the TI-35 Plus.
The equals key is twice in vertical height, covering the spans of the bottom two rows on the TI-35 Plus.
The top three rows* (all of the shift markings remain intact):
TI-36 Solar:
[CE/C] [ 1/x ] [ a ] [ b ] [ AC ]
[ hyp ] [ sin ] [ cos ] [ tan ] [ DRG ]
[ INV ] [ x^2 ] [ log ] [ ln x ] [ y^x ]
TI-35 Plus:
[ 2nd ] [ x^2 ] [ log ] [ ln x ] [ OFF ]
[ hyp ] [ sin ] [ cos ] [ tan ] [ DRG ]
[ y^x ] [ 1/x ] [ a ] [ b ] [ ÷ ]
The [ hyp ] key has the hyp^-1 label over it on the TI-35 Plus.
*not counting the [ON/C] key above all the rows on the TI-35 Plus
Comparison: TI-36 Solar vs. the original TI-36X Solar
Here is my review from 2018 for the TI-36X Solar: http://edspi31415.blogspot.com/2018/09/retro-review-texas-instruments-ti-36x.html
The TI-36X Solar:
* does not have the complex arithmetic mode of the TI-36 Solar
* adds the Boolean functions AND, OR, XOR, XNOR, and NOT to the BIN, OCT, and HEX mode
* adds linear regression
* adds a second shift key, [ 3rd ]
* there is no [ MODE ] key, every mode is selected through [ 3rd ] (key) combos
* adds a fraction/decimal conversions
* adds 8 scientific constants and 10 metric/US conversions
Verdict
Like the TI-35 Plus, the TI-36 Solar is a step up from the TI-30 series (1980s versions of TI-30). Again, the TI-34 (1987) has the Boolean functions and fraction functions that the TI-36 Solar doesn't. You don't have to worry about batteries at all since the TI-36 Solar runs entirely on solar/light power.
Eddie
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