8. Casio FX-7400G PLUS Graphing Calculator

Casio is a storied name when it comes to calculators, so you'd expect anything from this company to come equipped with lots of bells and whistles, and the Casio FX-7400G PLUS does not disappoint in that regard. This calculator is outstanding for those whose mathematical subjects fall within the usual high school or first-year college curriculum. In addition to the standard functions and capabilities you'd expect on any calculator, the FX-7400G PLUS offers standard deviation, regression analysis, multiple number bases, and tons of special functions.

This compact calculator not only crunches numbers, it plots and graphs them in all kinds of formats too.

The FX-7400G PLUS also includes ample data storage, and lets its users set up tables of values, or generate outputs from the many functions it support. It can simultaneously store, analyze, trace, and graph up to ten separate functions, and choose among up to four background images for comparing multiple graphs to one another. Among this calculator's output capabilities you'll find single- and double-variable statistics graphs, box and whisker plots, median-median lines, histograms, pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots, X-Y graphs and more. A built-in list editor lets users create, edit, and manipulate six distinct data sets, and data may be viewed in either list or table mode. A sketch feature also permits users to add points or lines to any graphic display showing on the calculator.

The unit measures 6.25" x 3" x 0.75" (15.88 cm x 7.62 cm x 1.91 cm) and weighs 6.5 oz (185 g). It runs on two AAA batteries, with a lithium button cell for backup power - a set of batteries is included with the unit as sold. The display offers six lines of character data, each 13 symbols wide (48x80 pixels). The FX-7400G PLUS comes equipped with 20 kB of available RAM, and can store user-defined programs and formulas.

The functions and capabilities of this calculator were developed with the participation of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and it works best for students at the high school level. Students looking for a calculator to help with serious mathematics, especially related to calculus, differential equations, and complex engineering calculations would probably do better to look into more expensive and more capable models from HP. But at $40, the Casio FX-7400G PLUS is a great tool for less complex calculation and graphing.