Retro Review: Texas
Instruments TI-60
General Information
Company: Texas Instruments
Type: Programmable
Scientific
Memory: 84 steps or
12 memory registers
Battery: 2 * Duracell
MS76, Panasonic WL-14, Eveready 376 or 303, AG-13, SR44
Years: 1986 – 1991
Editions: 2: 1986 (Advanced Scientific), 1990
(Programmable Scientific)
Original Cost: $50
Features
The TI-60 is a scientific keystroke programmable calculator,
largely based off of the original TI-55 (1977).
The features of the TI-60:
Operating System: AOS
(Algebraic Operating System) (like the
TI-30Xa)
Programming: Up to 56
program steps
Statistics: Linear
Regression
Conversions: °F/°C,
DMS/DD, in/cm, lb/kg, gal/L
Base Conversions:
Octal and Hexadecimal, has 2’s complement
Memory Registers: Up to 8, competed with both statistics and
programming
Other Functions:
Percent Change, Absolute Value, Signum, Integer Part, Fractional Part
Integration
Shift Keys: 2nd, hyp, INV
Storage Arithmetic:
+, -, *, ÷, ^, roots, percent change
Percent Key (Δ%)
I think the percent works backwards than modern
calculators. Press the new value first,
then [2nd] [ . ] ( Δ% ), then old value, [ = ].
Example: Percent
change from 32 to 56: 56 [2nd]
[ . ] (Δ%) 32 [ = ] 75 (75% increase)
Combinations and Permutations
Like the TI-55 III, the arguments for combination and
permutation functions take one
argument in the form of nnn.rrr.
Example:
Combination where n = 25, r = 5 is entered as 25.005 [2nd]
[ + ] (nCr)
(Result: 53,130)
Permutation where n = 25, r = 5 is entered as 25.005 [2nd]
[ = ] (nPr)
(Result: 6,375,600)
Rectangular/Polar Conversion
[2nd] [x<>y] (P-R): to Rectangular. Input:
r [x<>y] θ [2nd] [x<>y] (P-R). Result: y [x<>y] x.
[INV] [2nd] [x<>y] (P-R): to Polar.
Input x [x<>y] y [INV] [2nd] [x<>y] (P-R). Result:
θ [x<>y] r.
Linear Regression
The TI-60 has the parts labeled Intcp (y-intercept) and
Slope. Running the statistics mode reduced the maximum number of steps to 20
until the statistics registers were cleared.
TI-60 vs TI-55 III
|
TI-60
|
TI-55 III
|
|
84 maximum steps or 12 memory registers
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56 maximum steps or 8 memory registers
|
|
Clear programs outside of Learn mode
|
Clear programs inside of Learn mode
|
|
Each step you keyed is displayed in a PC(step #) OP(key code #) format
|
After each step, display is advanced to next available
step, have to press BST to view what you just did, like the TI-58 series
|
|
Base Mode: Octal
and Hexadecimal
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No base mode
|
|
The RST (reset) instruction loops to Step 00
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The RST (reset) instruction stops execution, directs
program to Step 00
|
Verdict
I wish TI had implemented this keystroke system earlier. I like the fact that the RST instruction
allowed for loops. I like that the user
can see what was pressed after each step.
The TI-60 came at the tail end of the keystroke programmable
calculators for Texas Instruments. The keys
are a pleasure a press, the contrast of the fonts is for the most part,
excellent, except for the gray 1/x and √ 2nd
functions on a gray background.
For the keystroke calculators from Texas Instruments, the
TI-60 one of my favorite, second to the TI-58C.
Eddie
This blog is property of Edward Shore, 2018.
