DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments TI-30XA
Date of introduction: | April 2004 | Display technology: | LCD |
New price: | $10.99 (SRP 2008) | Display size: | 10 + 2 |
Size: | 5.9" x 3.0" x 0.50" 150 x 75 x 13 mm3 |
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Weight: | 2.9 ounces, 82 grams | Serial No: | |
Batteries: | 2*LR44 | Date of manufacture: | mth 06 year 2007 (E) |
AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | China (S) | |
Precision: | 12 | Integrated circuits: | |
Memories: | 3 | ||
Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
This
TI-30XA manufactured in June 2007 is almost identical with the TI-30Xa
introduced already in 1996 and slightly redesigned April 2004. We purchased this
particular calculator in Canada to verify if the Logarithm Bug
is still present in the calculator chip.
The
algorithm problem known as "Logarithm Bug" was implemented already
1991 with the TI-35X and TI-36X
SOLAR and floats around in various calculators.
The best way to demonstrate the logarithm bug could
be found with the exponential function, one of the most important
functions in mathematics. It is written as ex and can be
defined as a limit of a sequence:
The calculation of this expression
will yield to unexpected results due to:
• The ln(1 + x) problem |
Using
n=109 should reveal a very close approximation of ex=2.71828183
(rounded to 9 digits) but this TI-30XA manufactured in 2007 still indicates 2.71919279.
Dismantling
the latest TI-30XA is somewhat boring, we noticed a printed circuit board (PCB)
known already from the previous models.
In 2009 the long lasting TI-30XA was revised and received a
display with larger display. Don't miss the upgraded TI-30XA.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, November 10, 2007. No reprints without written permission.