When it comes to succeeding in IB Mathematics, having the right calculator is crucial. A calculator isn’t just a tool for crunching numbers - it becomes your partner throughout the IB journey, especially on papers where calculator use is permitted. Choosing the correct one can bake your IB Math life much better.
Which papers allow for calculators to be used?
In IB Mathematics, certain papers permit the use of a GDC (graphic display calculator). The specific papers depend on your course:
- For AA HL: GDC is permitted on papers 2 and 3
- For AA SL: GDC is permitted on paper 2
- For AI HL: GDC is permitted on papers 1, 2 and 3
- For AI SL: GDC is permitted on papers 1 and 2
The official IB document listing all approved calculators for IB examinations (along with exam conditions) can be found here.
The usual suspects
In this article, we’ll explore the four most popular calculator models for IB students:
We’ll cover each calculator's origin, manufacturer, functionalities, advantages, disadvantages, and ultimately help you decide which one fits your needs best.
TI-84 Plus CE
Manufactured by Texas Instruments (TI), an American technology company founded in 1930, the TI-84 series dates back to 2004, evolving from the TI-83 series, which was originally released in 1996.
The TI‑84 Plus series has been a workhorse in classrooms for decades, and the CE model modernizes the line with a backlit color screen, rechargeable battery and thin design. It retains the familiar key layout, so if you’ve used an earlier TI‑83 or TI‑84, you’ll feel at home.
The simplicity of the TI‑84 makes it a good choice for IB students who want a reliable calculator without a steep learning curve. It can handle functions, statistics, regression and matrices—all essential for the IB exams—and it is approved for the SAT, ACT and IB papers.
The trade‑off is that the TI‑84’s interface is text‑based rather than touch‑driven, so exploring multiple representations requires more button presses.
It lacks built‑in 3D graphing or geometry tools, which are available on the TI‑Nspire, and its programming capabilities are limited to TI‑Basic. However, for most IB Math assignments, the TI‑84 Plus CE provides all the tools you need in a compact, user‑friendly package.
Functionalities:
- Full-color screen in the CE model.
- Traditional function-based graphing.
- Statistical analysis tools.
- Probability simulations.
- Basic matrix and calculus tools.
- Python programming added in recent editions.
- Straightforward menus with keystroke-based navigation.
Advantages:
- Easiest to use for most students.
- Shallow learning curve; many IB teachers are familiar with it.
- Very reliable and stable.
- Long battery life (USB rechargeable in the CE version).
- Plenty of online resources, guides, and videos.
- Typically less expensive than the TI-Nspire.
Disadvantages:
- Functionality is limited compared to TI-Nspire or Casio fx-CG50.
- No dynamic linking between graphs, tables, and equations.
- Can feel outdated for students used to modern interfaces.
- Less capable for higher-level explorations, such as parametric modeling or 3D plotting.
TI-Nspire CX II
The TI-Nspire line was introduced in 2007 to replace the aging TI-89 and TI-83/84 families for more advanced education markets. It is often described as the “flagship” graphing calculator. Reviewers note that its crisp 320×240‑pixel color display and built‑in rechargeable battery make it feel like a modern handheld computer.
The operating system, updated to version 5.1, adds animated path plots, dynamic tick‑mark labels and the ability to link graphs, tables and equations so that changes in one representation update others.
An updated menu system emulates a computer desktop with drop‑down menus and multiple tabs, which makes navigating through functions intuitive. The touch button, however, does not respond as well as the scree of a smartphone, that's for sure.
The 2019 hardware revision also introduced faster processing and Python programming support.
Functionalities:
- Feels like a handheld computer
- Full-color display with high resolution.
- Advanced algebraic capabilities.
- Dynamic graphing with multiple representations linked together.
- CAS (Computer Algebra System) model available in some models (the CAS versions). Note: despite the fact you can use the CAS model in IB examinations, during assessments you'll need the CAS feature to be turned off in case you're using such version.
- Spreadsheet functionality.
- Python programming integrated.
- Can graph 3D functions with additional apps.
- Data collection capabilities with sensors (for science subjects).
Advantages:
- Most powerful calculator among the three.
- Excellent for exploration: simultaneous algebra, graphs, and tables.
- Highly intuitive for students comfortable with technology.
- Supports Python programming, which aligns with modern math and science curricula.
- Very strong support community, with a massive library of tutorials and videos online.
Disadvantages:
- Steeper learning curve; not beginner-friendly.
- Interface is more complex and menu-driven.
- Higher price point compared to others.
- Battery drains faster with heavy use of graphical features.
Casio fx-CG50
Functionalities:
- High-resolution, full-color display.
- Icon-based menu for easy navigation.
- 3D graphing out of the box (TI calculators require apps for this).
- Strong statistical tools, probability distributions, and hypothesis testing functions.
- Spreadsheet mode.
- Programming capabilities (Casio BASIC and Python).
- Supports conic sections, vectors, and sequences visually and numerically.