Getting Started with your TI-83
a) Converting decimals to fractions . Button you
will need: MATH .
Example. To convert 0.5 to fraction, you need the following keystrokes:
0.5 ENTER, MATH , ENTER (this will chose fraction option), EN-
TER.
b) Roots . Button you will need: math.
Example. To evaluate 
you need the following
keystrokes: 5, MATH
(chose option 5), ENTER, 32, ENTER.
Alternatively (faster) you can evaluate as
. Type: 32 ^ (1=5).
c) Absolute value. Button you will need: MATH.
Example. To evaluate 
, you need the following
keystrokes:
MATH, →, ENTER, 2 ^ 3 - 3 ^ 2, ).
d) Graphing. Enter the expression you need to graph. Use keystrokes:
Y =, X, T, θ, n (this is the button for x) and GRAPH.
Change the graphing screen using WINDOW.
Example. Graph y = x + 2. Type: Y =, then X, T, θ, n, button. Then
+2 and, finally, GRAPH.
Now, let us graph y = x + 100. You will have to change the graphing
screen. Go to WINDOW and change Xmin and Ymin to -200 and Xmax
and Ymax to 200.
ZOOM button and option 6 (ZStandard) will change your window to
standard viewing window (-10 ≤ x ≤ 10 and -10 ≤ y ≤ 10).
e) Evaluating. We can evaluate an expression that depends on x for a
particular value of x on two ways .
1. By using CALC. First enter your function (Y= button). Press
2nd CALC and choose 1:value. Then enter the value of x for
which you want to evaluate the function.
NOTE: You might need to adjust the windows.
Example. Evaluate
for x = -1, 1 and 2.
2. By using Y variable . Example. Let us evaluate
for x =
-1, 1 and 2 again. First we enter as Y1 in Y = window.
Then type: VARS, → (chose Y-vars), ENTER (chose function),
ENTER (you will get Y1). Then type (-1). Similarly, we will get
Y1(1) and Y1(2).
This method allows you to evaluate a couple of different expressions
at the same time.
f) Scientific Notation. Change your calculator to scientific notation
(MODE, Sci).
Example. Evaluate
.
NOTE: The calculator answer 7.9149e4
means 7.9149 ·104.
Problems:
1. Convert -.485 to a fraction .
2. Evaluate 
and
3. Evaluate 
4. Graph the function 
:
5. Evaluate the function at values x = 1, x
= 3 and x = 20.
6. Graph the function
7. Evaluate the functionat values x = -1, x = 0 and
x = 16.
8. Scientific notation problems are on a separate handout.
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