TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator – Complete Beginner’s Guide

Perfect for Students, Teachers & Self-Learners

What is the TI-84 Plus CE?

Designed for learning in high school and college, the TI-84 Plus CE is one of today’s most popular graphing calculators. It’s easy to use, works quickly, can be recharged, and is well suited for algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and physics.

What’s in the Box?

• The TI-84 Plus CE version is available.
•  Both USB charging and data transfer can be done with this cable.
• Accessory with a slide-on cover
• How to get your apparatus off the ground (paper/manual)

Turning On/Off and Charging

• On your remote, select ON by pressing the appropriate button.
• Turning off: First press 2nd, then afterwards press ON
• You can charge the battery by USB (simply plug it into a computer or an adapter).
• Your battery can last a full week or more before needing a recharge

Basic Controls

• Use the Arrow Keys to go up, down, left and right through menus.
• On the 2nd key (yellow): Use functions found above each button
• Alpha Key (Green): Press it to enter and select unique functions.
• You can remove entries.

Adjusting Mode and Settings

• You can switch game options by pressing MODE.
• Degree/Radian
• Normal/Scientific Notation
• In Graph Mode, choose from Function, Parametric, Polar or Sequence.
• Simply press ENTER to make your selection. Turn up and down the brightness by using the 2nd + arrows.

Graphing Functions

• Press Y=
• Write your function as (e.g., x^2 + 3x + 2)
• Press GRAPH
• Pick WINDOW to give full view, otherwise select the auto-fit button: 6:Standard

Working with Color Graphs

• On the Y= screen, go left to where you see the color box.
• Enter ENTER to modify the color of the line.
• It’s great for seeing the results of several simple functions at once.

Pre-installed Apps

• Polynomial Solver
• Solver for Equations
• Finance App (loans & interest)
• Science Tools
• Inequality Graphing
• EasyData® connected through sensors
• To access, go to the APPS key.

Running and Managing Programs

• Press PRGM
• Pick a program from the suggestions listed.
• Hit ENTER to start the code

Memory Management

• Press 2 second then double plus (MEM).
• Decide on two of the following: Mem Mgmt or Delete
• See the size of your apps/programs
• Press DEL to clear the shopping cart.

Math Operations

• Under the MATH module, you can learn about fractions, roots and absolute values.
• You can access math templates by pressing ALPHA + F1
• Useful for:
• Square/cube roots
• Logarithms
• Powers and exponents are important terms in algebra.

Using Lists, Tables & Stats

• Enter your data into the STAT form.
• To use STAT for computing, select CALC in the corner menu.
• Statistics includes mean, median and mode.
• Linear regression
• Press 2nd + GRAPH to see the values in a table.

Troubleshooting Errors

Use 2nd + TRACE for “Goto” to see error location.

Connecting to a Computer

• Download and install TI Connect™ CE.
• Send all wanted apps, programs and screenshots
• Copy calculator data

Tips for Beginners

• Don’t forget to save your files repeatedly.
• If the game freezes, press 2nd > + > 7:Reset
• Open ZOOM > 6 to deal with graphing glitches.
• If you press 2nd and MODE together, you’ll exit the menus in one go.

Helpful Resources

• Official TI information at: education.ti.com
• Video Tutorials – YouTube – Math and Science

Final Thoughts

You can do all your math work with the TI-84 Plus CE calculator. Whether you are graphing, solving math problems or studying data, it can help you become better and faster at math. Save this link to your bookmarks or click here to download it as a PDF so you’re prepared anytime.