Texas Instruments TI-82 Handheld Electronic Calculator

This is an example of an early graphing calculator sold by Texas Instruments. The TI-82 was introduced in 1993, as an improvement on the TI-81. The handheld electronic calculator has a gray plastic case with a sliding cover that can also serve as a stand. It has an array of forty-one rectangular plastic keys, many of which can take on three meanings. These include a wide number of arithmetic, trigonometric, statistical, algebraic, and analytic functions. Letters of the alphabet also can be represented. The calculator also has four arrow keys, plus a row of five keys immediately under the display that relate to graphing. Four of these also can take on two meanings. In addition to performing a wide range of calculations, the calculator could display eight lines of text sixteen characters long or graph ten rectangular or six parametric or polar functions simultaneously. It also could list tables and calculate derivatives and integrals of functions.

A mark above the display reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI-82. A cable (not present in this example) allowed sharing data with another TI-82.

The back of the calculator has a compartment at the bottom that holds four AAA batteries as well as a small CR1616 or CR1620 battery (the compartment cover is missing on this example). A mark above the battery compartment reads in part: TEXAS (/) INSTRUMENTS (/) 30009182 I-0495Q (/) MADE IN TAIWAN R.O.C. Further text on the back of the calculator indicates that the design was copyrighted in 1991.

This TI-82 was used by mathematician Florence Fasanelli in workshops for teachers and in classes.

References:

Accession file.

[Advertisement]. Washington Post, August 7, 1994, p. AE19. TI-82 calculator, list price of $125.00, on sale for $99.99.

[Advertisement]. Washington Post, September 6, 1995, p. A26. TI-82 calculator, list price of $125.00, on sale for $79.99.

[Advertisement]. Washington Post, August 17, 1997, p. N6. TI-82 calculator, list price of $125.00, on sale for $79.99.

[Advertisement]. Washington Post, August 23, 1998, p. AE11. TI-82 calculator $79.99 after $10 price break.

Online Datamath Museum, accessed June 15, 2015.

Texas Instruments, TI-82 Graphing Calculator Guidebook, 1993, 2000, 2001. Accessed online June 15, 2015.

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