I just bought the BA II calculator. Does this calculator have a function to solve polynomials of any degree? If not, is there a calculator that does? They like to have questions with polynomials so I am screwed if I dont have a calculator that does.
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Not as far as I’m aware of (for any of the approved calculators). I don’t recall exactly how they test polynomials on that exam, but don’t forget you can plug in all 5 answers and see if they work (rather than solving from scratch). And if that is a totally useless tip, then sorry. 
From the world wide web:
The BAIIPlus doesn’t have anything specifically for solving quadratic equations. You can simply plug the coefficients a, b, and c i
So, looks like not. I’m not surprised.
It’s been a millenia since I wrote FM, but generally speaking I don’t think you shouldn’t be relying on your calculator for solving stuff as complex as a polynomial. There’s a reason that you can use a variety of calculators - no particular calculator should give anyone a noticeable advantage.
I’m a fan of the 30XIIx because it’s what I used in school. But from what I’ve read around town, it seems like the multiview calculator is the fan favourite these days; the multiple line display makes it easier to see longer expressions (though I don’t care, I’m pretty competent at breaking stuff down and putting stuff into memory, on the fly).
Oh one side note related to the BA II calculators- its default setting is NOT the order of operations, and when Prometric resets the calculator, that gets turned back to the default. So you will want to go into settings at the start of your exam and fix that so you don’t get 2+3*4=20
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I think FM is the one exam where the BA II DOES give you a noticeable advantage (for solving for IRRs and such).
The real trick is bringing that calculator -AND- the standard Texas Instruments one (so that the order of operations shiznaz is a non issue).
I believe you can have two (I did, and complete with pink tie stickers).
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There’s a particular (related) textbook that helps you with the calculator… please hold while I google.
…I cannot find it. But I took Financial Mathematics with Mary Hardy at UW back in… 2008…09? And the textbook was white. That’s all I remember.
Where TF is Mary Hardy when you need her, amirite?
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That’s an excellent point, and yes you can have multiple. I always bring 2 of the TI ones and then the BA II if necessary as a precaution. Doesn’t hurt.
excellent tip thank you
a year or two ago I kept swinging by her office at UW in an attempt to get them to sign my text :). Never connected. I might be on campus next summer again, might take another run at it.
I miss my tours around M3; it’d take me an hour to walk down the three hallways as I stopped at every second door to say hi to a prof.
You’re officially a nerd when you carry around TWO calculators
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Can’t you use the cash flow worksheet to solve polynomials?
The CF worksheet along with the IRR function will generally solve any polynomial you need for fm.
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