Introduction
When students arrive in Year 7 at secondary school, they have gone through the whole of primary school without using a calculator and are unsure about when or even how to use one.
There is no exact criteria for when to use or not use a calculator. Generally if the topic is not testing multiplication, division or any other written calculation, using a calculator is acceptable.
Generally using a calculator is acceptable as long as the question is not testing Multiplication, Division or another written calculation.
Students always want to know what the best calculator for GCSE is. Does the calculator you buy give you an unfair advantage to those who don’t have it?
The simple answer, yes it does!!!
Do I need a calculator for GCSE?
The GCSE Maths Exam consists of 3 exam papers, one is a non-calculator but the other two papers are calculator papers. It is not advisable to attempt these papers without a calculator unless you are capable of working out inverse sin(12/17) in your head in under 5 seconds.
The minimum features you need is a basic scientific calculator with brackets, a square root function, a cube root function and trigonometry.
Be sure to buy your calculator well in advance of the GCSE Exam so you can understand the functions it has available.
Do not buy a new calculator the day before your exam!
What features do I need for GCSE?
The features mentioned above are an absolute must, and for a calculator to be classed as a scientific one, it must contain all of them. There are hundreds of other features to look out for.
Below are a list of desirable features which can be beneficial in the GCSE Exam
- Power/Index button – allows you to work out powers of numbers such as 2^5 = 32
- Answer button – saves the full value of your last calculation so you dont need to keep typing the last answer in
- Memory Button – save multiple values in the calculators memory to use in a later calculation.
- Multi Line display – Many of the newer calculators have a multiple line display, and display two or more lines at once
- Navigation arrows – can navigate up, down, left and right using a cursor, some calculators may only allow left and right
- Pi button – this button have the exact value of Pi stored in it, so you do not need to use the rounded value 3.14
- Random Number generator – get your calculator to generate a random number within a given range
- Fraction Button – type fractions exactly as you see them ¾ instead of 3 / 4
- S<>D button – Many calculators give the exact answer for some calculations in surd, Pi or fraction form, by pressing this button it will toggle the answer from exact form to decimal
- Statistic Mode – allows many advances statistic features, for GCSE finding the mean from a frequency table is useful
- Finding the nth root – Allows you to find higher order roots, not just square root and cube roots. You could find the 5th root of 32 which is 2
- Converting Time – converts from a decimal value in hours to hours:mins:seconds
- Converting Mixed to Improper Fractions – will switch between an improper fraction and a mixed fraction
- Table function – This prompts you for a function and it will generate a table of values
- Equation Solver – The calculator can solve a linear equation such as 2x+3=11
- Simultaneous Equation Solver – Solve a pair of simultaneous equations with two unknowns
- Polynomial Solver – Solve a quadratic or a cubic equation, can also be used to factorise a polynomial
- Inequality Solver – solve linear and quadratic inequalities
Which Calculators are allowed in GCSE Maths?
All calculators are allowed into the GCSE except ones with Graphical functions and Programmable functions. All the calculators outlined in this article are allowed for both GCSE and A-Level Maths. The Casio FX991EX is a non programmable calculator.
Can you bring two calculators into your GCSE?
If you are worried about your calculator running out of battery during your maths exam, it is a wise idea to have more than one calculator with you.
Yes, can can bring more than one calculator with you. However, you will most likely be asked to only take one calculator into the exam hall with you and the other stays in your bag outside the exam hall. Should you run out of battery during your exam, you will be allowed to get your spare calculator with the assistance of an exam invigilator.
What types of Calculator are there?
There are many different types of calculator, the three main types are Basic, Scientific and Graphical.
Basic Calculator
As the name suggests, these have the essential features such as add, subtract, multiply and divide. They usually have a minimum 8 digit display and can be battery or solar powered. The basic calculator can also be found on most mobile phones.
These will range in size from portable (size of credit card) to large (size of an iPad).
You may sometimes see the larger ones being used in shops. These sometimes have a percentage button to quickly work out percentage discounts.
Scientific Calculator
These are designed to solve more complex problems in Mathematics, science and engineering. There are a lot more buttons than your basic calculator, most of these have over 200 functions, some even have over 500 functions. Many of these functions are beyond the scope of the A-Level Maths course, let alone the GCSE.
Most mobile phones have a scientific calculator function, on the iPhone you get the scientific calculator when you rotate your phone into landscape mode.
Some of the main functions you can expect to find on most calculators that you will use at GCSE include:
- Trigonometry – sin cos tan and their inverses
- Powers and roots
- Pi button
All scientific calculators will have the above three functions and will usually have many more features.
Graphical Calculator
A graphical calculator has all the main functions of a Scientific calculator but can plot graphs. These will have large screens, almost like a handheld computer. These calculators take a little practice getting used to and all graphical calculators are very different.
Graphical calculators are usually programmable; however the memory must be cleared before any examination.
Students are NOT ALLOWED to use a graphical calculator for the GCSE Maths exam. Most graphical calculators are allowed for the A-Level Maths course, however a good scientific one is usually good enough.
The 5 most popular Calculators for GCSE
According to Amazon UK, the following 5 calculators are the best selling Calculators in 2023.
The five calculators being reviewed include
Comparison of features of Calculators
To compare the features easily, we have summarised the most important features in the table below.
|
Calculator |
|||||
|
Functions |
240 |
273 |
276 |
276 |
552 |
|
Battery/solar |
Battery 2xAAA |
Dual |
Battery |
Dual |
Dual |
|
Power/Index |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Answer button |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Memory |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Line Display |
2 |
2 |
Multi |
Multi |
Multi |
|
Navigation Buttons |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Pi Button |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Random |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Type in Natural form |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
S<>D Button |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Statistics Mode |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
nth root |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Converting time |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Mixed to improper fractions |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Table function |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Equation solver |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Simultaneous equation |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Polynomials |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Inequality |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Recurring decimal |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Year of Release |
2020 |
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2015 |
|
Amazon star rating |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
|
Price |
£14.95 |
Below you will find a summary of each calculator along with its pros and cons.
Renus Scientific
This is a decent budget calculator which will do everything that you would need for GCSE Maths. It could be improved with the ability to type in natural form.
A number of reviews complain about the missing keys on the calculator and the calculator giving wrong answers to calculations.
Our observation is that the calculator worked out the calculations correctly, however the other users may have typed the calculation in a different form than required and hence giving an incorrect answer.
The shape of the calculator reminds me of an old Casio calculator Casio FX350MS which was released in 2007. Which is very strange as this calculator was first released in 2020. Take a look at the side by side picture below, what do you think?
It is the cheapest calculator of our selection.
Pros: cheapest calculator
Cons: Cannot type in natural mode like some of the other calculators, seems like you are buying a model that came out 14 years ago.
Sharp EL-531TG
This calculator has a great solid feel and has all the functionality you could want from a scientific calculator at GCSE Level. It has a designated button for Pi which is useful, however it does not have a designated ANSWER button, you need to press 2nd and = to use the ANSWER button. It lacks the natural display of fractions which you would expect from a calculator of this price range.
Pros: strong solid feel
Cons: location of ANSWER button is a little awkward, its has no natural display and a little pricey for what you get.
Casio FX83GTX
An easy to use calculator which could easily help students to get through their GCSE exams. A very popular calculator at A-Level. It uses AAA batteries and will need changing approximately every 1-2 years depending on usage.
This calculator is also available in Pink, Blue and Grey.
It only costs a little more than the cheapest calculator in our selection.
Pros: easy to use with natural display, excellent value for money
Cons: the batteries will eventually need changing
Casio FX85GTX
This calculator is practically identical to the Casio FX83GTX however it has dual power, both Battery and Solar power. The calculator will use solar power where possible and use battery when solar power has depleted meaning you will not need to change these as frequently.
It also comes with the natural display when typing in fractions.
Pros: dual power means battery will last longer than the Casio FX83GTX model
Cons: Having dual power does not justify the price difference between the two models
Casio FX991EX
Despite being released in 2015, this is the oldest calculator in our selection, but it also has the most features. It contains all the functions available in the Casio FX83GTX and Casio FX85GTX and many more. This will get you through your GCSE but it is the recommended calculator for A-Levels by most 6th form colleges in the UK.
It has a few additional features such as solving simultaneous equations, solving quadratic inequalities and polynomials which can be useful to check your working in a GCSE exam. It has a very thorough user manual which feels more like a book.
It does have the biggest price tag in our selection of calculators, but if you plan to do A-Level Maths, this will be the only calculator you will need.
Pros: Many additional features which will save time in the GCSE, will last until A-Levels
Cons: Its expensive, about double the price of the other calculators in our selection
Conclusion - What is the Best Calculator?
It’s a difficult decision to pick a single best calculator , so we have two winners, Best Calculator Value for Money and Best Calculator Overall
Best Calculator Value for Money
This must go to the Casio FX83GTX. Students can use this comfortably for their GCSE Exam. If you own one of the older models from the Casio FX83 range or Casio FX85 range, its not worth upgrading as the improvement on the Casio FX83GT Plus is not significant.
The functionality of this calculator is identical to the slightly more expensive Casio FX85GTX.
Currently at around £10 this calculator offers great value, the price of this is usually around £14. You cannot go wrong with this calculator whether you are using it as a first calculator in Year 7 or even sitting your A-Levels in Year 13.
Best Calculator Overall
There is only one calculator that can be awarded this title and it has to be the Casio FX991EX. It does absolutely anything you could possibly want from a calculator.
Its just as easy to use as the Casio FX83GTX but with many more useful features which can benefit students at both GCSE and A-Level.
I have put together a YouTube Video which outlines the 10 most useful features of this Calculator for GCSE Maths.
I know the calculator is a lot more expensive than the Casio FX83GTX, but you will only need to buy this calculator and will will last until you complete your A-Levels and beyond.
If you are able to spend this much on a calculator, then go for the Casio FX991EX, you'll be glad you did
