It's kinda weird because I can't find the BA-35 available either in ACTEX catalog or in Actuarial Bookstore? Will it not be the SOA official calculator anymore? Will this issue be cleared out in the new SOA Spring 2006 catalog?My information is that the manufacturer has discontinued making the BA-35 Solar, but is still making the BA-II and Professional. All of these calculators are still on the approved list. So if you can find a BA-35 (some stores or on-line vendors may have a supply left), you can use it for the exams.

1. Texas Instruments Ba-35 Solar Financial Calculator Manual

Cherry.What do you think about that FM examinees?Would you prefer BA II Plus over BA-35?Can you point out their major differences?Here is an excerpt from the Introduction of my Exam FM/2 manual, published by ASM:'The BA-35, BA-II Plus, and BAII Plus Professional have financial functions that are essential for this exam. Which one should you use? Any of them will serve you well for the exam. There is no question that the BA II Plus and BA II Plus Professional have functions that the BA-35 does not. (They can solve for the interest rate when the payments are irregular; they have superior memory features; etc.) They are also faster for certain kinds of calculations. The trade-off is that you will have to spend somehat more time learning how to use them.

(The Study Note on using the BA-35 is 16 pages long; the Study Note for the BA II Plus is 31 pages long.)'If you do a search on the two actuarial discussion forums, you can find discussions by students comparing the calculators. Some students feel that the extra time learning how to use the more advanced calculators is well worth it. Others feel that the BA-35 will solve any problem that is likely to appear on this exam (which I would agree with).' I used the TI-30XIIB calculator as well as the BAII Plus.

I think you are well advised to also bring one of the TI-30X calculators because the financial calculators are single entry calcs and you need to use a lot of paranthesis where the TI-30X calcs allow you to enter a string of functions and then solve. I find this much easier and quicker to use. Everyone seems to say that the BA-35 is easier to learn than the BAII Plus.

I would just say that whichever you use, make sure you learn to use it efficiently. I didn't find the BAII Plus all that difficult. I only started using it the week before the exam and found it quite useful on the exam although I am sure I could have used it more if I had spent more time learning its functions. I used the TI-30XIIB calculator as well as the BAII Plus.I agree.

The BA II can be used to solve for general annuities for both annuity immediate an due, can calculate cash flows for bonds, etc. The TI-30X can be used for all other calculations. It is easier to use for order of operations, and - the biggest plus - it allows you to SEE what you typed in and to go back to previous calculations. (I think it stores 4-5 previous entries). They both are useful, and I ended up using both on exam FM.

TI SR-10Brought to market in late 1972, this was arguably the first 'scientific' calculator in that it displays numbers in scientific notation. However it lacks much in the way of mathematical power - no logs, trig functions, powers/roots other than 2, etc.This is a Version 1, having the SR10 designation in the black plastic frame below the display. (Version 2 and later displayed it above the 1/x key in the gray frame around the keys.)It's in excellent condition and works well. I also have the manual for it, and a blemished case.Of special note, while this calculator used rechargeable NiCads, they were neither hardwired nor in a removable battery pack as with most other calculators. Instead, simply removing 2 screws and taking the back off reveals a compartment for 3 AA batteries. You can install NiCads for rechargeability, or standard alkalines. But be aware that the AC supply will not power the calculator unless NiCads are installed!

Texas Instruments Ba-35 Solar Financial Calculator Manual

(Don't try to use AC w/ alkalines.). TI 59 and PC 100A PrinterHere's something I can authoritatively tell you as a programmer for 35 years: you can't do it without paper. I laugh when I hear people talk about a paperless society.Anyway, the TI 59 is notable for being the first calculator to use replaceable ROM program libraries. Little modules of up to 5000 steps-worth of programs could be plugged into the back to adapt the calculator to a variety of business and science specialties. With the additional ability to create new programs and store them on magnetic cards, it's a capable machine.The PC 100A printer can be driven by a program to output alphanumeric text as desired.

It can also be used to 'echo' everything displayed on the calculator.