computer science

TI-73 series

TI-73 series is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand TI-73 series rather than just read about it. In short: The TI 73 series is a series of graphing calculators made by Texas Instruments, all of which have identical hardware. The original TI-73 graphing calculator was originally designed in 1998 as a replacement for the TI-80 for use at a middle school level (grades 6-8).

Key takeaways

TI-73 series belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect TI-73 series to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of TI-73 series from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The TI 73 series is a series of graphing calculators made by Texas Instruments, all of which have identical hardware. The original TI-73 graphing calculator was originally designed in 1998 as a replacement for the TI-80 for use at a middle school level (grades 6-8). Its primary advantage over the TI-80 is its 512 KB of flash memory, which holds the calculator's operating system and thereby allows the calculator to be upgraded. Other advantages over the TI-80 are the TI-73's standard sized screen (as opposed to the TI-80's smaller screen), the addition of a link port, 25 KB of RAM (as compared to the TI-80's 7 KB of RAM), and a faster 6 MHz Zilog Z80 processor (as compared with the TI-80's 980 kHz proprietary processor). The TI-73 also uses the standard 4 AAA batteries with a lithium backup battery (instead of the TI-80's 2 CR2032 lithium batteries). In 2003, the TI-73 was redesigned with a new body shape and redesignated the TI-73 Explorer to indicate its currently intended use as a bridge between the TI-15 Explorer and similar calculators and the TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, and similar calculators. Later, the TI-73 Explorer was remodeled to resemble the TI-84 Plus graphing calculator more closely. Due to lack of demand in middle schools, the TI-73 and TI-73 Explorer have not been huge sellers for TI and are not carried by most retail stores. Most American upper-level middle school algebra courses generally tend to use the TI-83 or TI-84 families instead of the TI-73 or TI-73 Explorer, while most basic middle school math courses generally do not use graphing calculators, instead opting for scientific calculators such as the TI-30 or TI-34 families. Originally the TI-73 could only run programs written in TI-BASIC, although that has changed in recent years. In 2005, an assembly shell called Mallard was released for the TI-73. Mallard allows the user to run programs written in assembly language. As with the TI-82 and the TI-85 before, a hacked backup file is downloaded containing the assembly shell. Released in late 2008, the Windows utility Chameleon allows a user to load the TI-73 Explorer with a slightly modified TI-83+ firmware, giving it nearly equivalent functionality. In 2009, Texas Instruments updated the skin of the TI-73 Explorer to match the shape of the larger TI-84 Plus's case. This resulted in a slight increase in mass from 182 grams to 208 grams. The hardware and software remained unchanged and is identical to an older unit wearing the TI-83 plus style casing.

Technical specifications CPU: Zilog Z80 CPU, 6 MHz Flash ROM: 512 KB with 128 KB available for Flash Applications RAM: 32 KB with 25 KB available to the user Display: Text: 16×8 characters I/O Link port 50 button built-in interface Power: 4 AAA batteries plus 1 lithium battery for backup Integrated programming languages: TI-BASIC

Sources

See also Comparison of Texas Instruments graphing calculators

External links Features of the TI-73 Explorer Some TI-73 programs and the Chameleon utility can be found at ticalc.org and several others at CalcG.org.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TI-73 series

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TI-73 series claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to TI-73 series before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about TI-73 series ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of TI-73 series

In research: TI-73 series appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses TI-73 series in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: TI-73 series is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1998, Graphing calculators, Texas Instruments programmable calculators, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for TI-73 series outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study TI-73 series in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what TI-73 series means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain TI-73 series out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TI-73 series in simple terms?

Why does TI-73 series matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study TI-73 series?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on TI-73 series.