Calculators

Many events allow calculators of various types. If an event allows calculators of a particular Class, calculators of all lower classes are also acceptable for that event (e.g., an event that allows a Class III calculator also allows for Class I and Class II calculators, alongside Class III calculators). The judgement of which Class a team's calculator(s) belongs to is reserved for the Event Supervisor.

Class I Calculator

Calculator Classes

Class I

• Stand-alone non-graphing, non-programmable, non-scientific 4-function or 5-function calculators

These are the most basic type of calculators. They are limited to the four basic mathematic functions and square roots. They are often cheap, costing as low as a dollar online.

Class II

• Stand-alone non-programmable, non-graphing calculators

They do not have the "EXE" button, "Prog" button, or a "file" button.

Class II Calculator

Examples: CASIO FX-260, Sharp EL-501, TI-30X, TI-34, Texas Instruments BA II Plus

Class III

• Stand-alone, programmable, graphing calculators
• Stand-alone, programmable, non-graphing calculators

To identify a stand-alone non-graphing, programmable calculator, look for the presence of the ‘EXE’ button, the ‘Prog’ button, or a ‘file’ button. Examples include but are not limited to: Casio Super FXs, numerous older Casio models, and HP 35S. A calculator of this type with the buttons labeled is shown to the right.

Class III Calculator

Examples: Casio 975 0/9850/9860, HP 40/50/PRIME, TI 83/84/89/NSPIRE/VOYAGE

Class IV

• Calculator applications on multipurpose devices

Includes calculators contained on phones, laptops, tablets, etc.

Events that Allow Calculators

Note: Any event that allows a calculator class will allow all lower calculator classes, including no calculator.

Class I

• No events currently specify Class I calculators

Class II

• One per team: Experimental Design (Div B), Rocks and Minerals
• One per participant: Crime Busters, Potions and Poisons, Water Quality
• Two per team: Anatomy and Physiology, Bungee Drop, Designer Genes, Disease Detectives, Dynamic Planet, Heredity, Meteorology, Metric Mastery, Remote Sensing
• Three per team: Codebusters

Class III

• One per team: Experimental Design (Div C), Scrambler
• One per participant: Chemistry Lab, Forensics, Materials Science
• Two per team: Circuit Lab, Hovercraft, Machines

Class IV

• Two per team: Astronomy

2024 Calculator Events None Can't Judge a Powder, Fast Facts, Fermi Questions, Flight, Forestry, Reach for the Stars, Roller Coaster, Tower, Write It Do It, Aerial Scramble, Cybersecurity, Engineering CAD, Mission Possible Class I Three per team: Codebusters Class II One per team: Experimental Design (Div B), Robot Tour One per participant: Crime Busters, Botany, Digital Structures Two per team: Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives, Ecology, Fossils, Geologic Mapping, Microbe Mission, Road Scholar, Agricultural Science Class III One per team: Experimental Design (Div C), Scrambler, Wheeled Vehicle One per participant: Chemistry Lab Two per team: Air Trajectory, Detector Building, Dynamic Planet, Forensics, Meteorology, Optics, Wind Power, Home Horticulture, Solar Power Class IV Two per team: Astronomy

2023 Calculator Events Class I Three per team: Codebusters Class II One per team: Experimental Design (Division B) One per participant: Crime Busters Two per team: Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology, Disease Detectives, Environmental Chemistry, Green Generation, Remote Sensing, Road Scholar, Agricultural Science, Botany, Digital Structures Class III One per team: Experimental Design (Division C) One per team, maybe additional: Robot Tour Two per team: Bridge (Division B), Chemistry Lab, Crave the Wave, Detector Building, Dynamic Planet, Forensics, It's About Time, Meteorology, Scrambler, Sounds of Music, Storm the Castle, Trajectory, Wheeled Vehicle, WiFi Lab, Home Horticulture, Solar Power Class IV Two per team: Astronomy

2019 Calculator Events Stand-alone calculators Non-graphing, non-programmable, non-scientific 4- or 5-function calculators Three per team Codebusters Non-graphing, non-programmable or a type listed above One per team Experimental Design (Division B) Geologic Mapping Road Scholar One per person Chemistry Lab Two per team Anatomy and Physiology Designer Genes Disease Detectives Dynamic Planet Forensics Heredity Meteorology Potions and Poisons Water Quality Graphing, programmable or non-graphing, programmable or a type listed above One per team Battery Buggy Experimental Design (Division C) Mousetrap Vehicle Two per team Astronomy Circuit Lab Density Lab Sounds of Music Thermodynamics Calculators on multipurpose devices Astronomy (computer or tablet)

2018 Calculator Events Starting 2018, all calculators must be dedicated to computation. Non-programmable/non-graphing - one per team Experimental Design (Division B) Non-programmable/non-graphing - one per person Remote Sensing Non-programmable/non-graphing - two per team Anatomy and Physiology Dynamic Planet Ecology Meteorology Microbe Mission Any type of calculator - one per team Battery Buggy Experimental Design (Division C) Mousetrap Vehicle Road Scholar Any type of calculator - two per team Astronomy Chemistry Lab Disease Detectives Forensics (Crime Busters does NOT allow calculators) Hovercraft Hydrogeology Materials Science Optics Potions and Poisons Thermodynamics

2017 Calculator Events Non-programmable/non-graphing - one per person Dynamic Planet Remote Sensing Non-programmable/non-graphing - two per team Anatomy and Physiology Disease Detectives Ecology Microbe Mission (technically allows an unlimited amount) Programmable - one per person Astronomy "Non-camera-capable" - two per team Chemistry Lab Forensics Materials Science Any type of calculator Experimental Design Hovercraft Hydrogeology Optics Wind Power Thermodynamics

See Also

Binders

Note Sheets

Safety Glasses

Soinc.org Calculator Guide (2021), check the Rules Manual for an updated version