Leaving cert maths - calculator

Carsinian Thau

Where can I find out if my calculator is suitable for use in the leaving cert exams? My maths teacher is very vague and while he says mine is okay I get the impression that he's not really sure and just wants to shut me up.

claire h

From Certificate Examinations: Instructions and Regulations for the Conduct of Candidates during Examinations (http://www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=ca&sc=gy)

The use of calculators is allowed in all examinations, subject to the following:

The Commission will not supply calculators to candidates and examination centres will not be responsible for the provision of calculators or batteries. A candidate cannot expect to share a calculator with another candidate.

The proper working condition of the calculator is the responsibility of the candidate. No allowance will be made for battery or other calculator failure during the examination.

Calculators must be silent and not require the use of an external power supply.

Calculators may not be borrowed from other candidates during the examination.

Programmable calculators are not allowed. The term "programmable" includes any calculator that is capable of storing a sequence of keystrokes for later retrieval and execution. It also includes calculators into which a formula or other such expression can be entered by the
user. However, the facility to store numbers in one or more memory locations, or to execute procedures that cannot be modified by the user, does not render a calculator programmable.

Graphic calculators are not allowed.

Calculators with any of the following facilities are not allowed:
- Data banks
- Dictionaries
- Language translators
- Text retrieval
- Capability of remote communication

Candidates must indicate on their answer books the make and model of any calculator(s) used in the examination

Candidates are not allowed to take an instruction manual into the examination hall. This includes instructions printed on the cover of the calculator. This rule does not allow a candidate to bring into the examination centre any device that would be otherwise prohibited. In particular, mobile phones, electronic organisers or similar devices are not permitted under any circumstances, (see 10 above).



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Hope that helps!

ninebeanrows

wouldn't it be ingenious to store all your formulae on a calculator! I'd say it wouldn't be too hard either and almost impossible to catch i would have imagined.. But i suppose it is also possible for someone who actually isn't you to sit your leaving cert and the liklyhood of getting caught is not that high!

Nehpets

The calculators that everyone used could be used to store the co-ordinate geometrey formulae. Are the new ones that can do simultaneous equations allowed?

Who uses a calculator anyway?

joking, I actually have a habit of checking every simple sum on it now :S

cocoa

claire h wrote:

Candidates must indicate on their answer books the make and model of any calculator(s) used in the examination

wow, I didn't know about that one, we didn't have to do that in our mocks... Oh well, shouldn't be too difficult >_>

claire h wrote:

Candidates are not allowed to take an instruction manual into the examination hall. This includes instructions printed on the cover of the calculator.

O_o guess I'm going to have to go scratch away the surface of my calculator before the exam...

Thanks for the copy/linkeh by the way

Kurtosis

My maths teacher said there shouldn't be a problem as long as you cover up the instructions if on the cover, by sticking someting over it or putting masking tape over it. Or just leave the case at home!

Carsinian Thau

Thanks. Good news is that from that my calculator is definitely suitable.
Is there a particular reason why they want you to write the make of the calculator on the paper? Seems a little strange to me.

NADA

If you really wanna get messy you could try and program your calculator in java! It is definately possible even on non programmable calculators. although be prpared to do some screw driver surgery.