Texas instruments TI-83 PLUS Solve It!

TI-83 Plus

ti

Solve It!

Getting Started

What is the Solve It! Applicat ion?
What You Need
Where to Find I ns tallation Instructions

How To…

Start and Quit the Application
Use the Application
Delete the Application

More Infor m a t ion

Error Recovery

1/31/02 © 2002 Texas Instruments

Important Information

Texas Instruments makes no warranty, either expressed or
implied, including but not limited to any implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, regarding
any programs or book materials and makes such materials
available solely on an “as-is” basis.

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special, collateral, incidental, or consequential damages in
connection with or arising out of the purchase or use of these
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Instruments, regardless of the form of action, shall not exceed
any applicable purchase price of this item or material. Moreover,
Texas Instruments shall not be liable for any claim of any kind
whatsoever against the use of these materials by any other
party.

Graphing product applications (Apps) are licensed. See the
terms of the license agreement

for this product.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, Apple, Macintosh, Mac, and Mac OS are trademarks
of their respective owners.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 2

What Is the Solve It! Application?

Solve It! is a Handheld Software Application (App) for the
TI-83 Plus that provides challenging practice with algebra
problems at a variety of different skill levels. Solve It! is designed
to improve students’ mental math abilities by having them
identify missing elements in algebraic equations based on given
information.

Solve It! provides three levels of difficulty: Bronze (least difficult),
Silver (medium difficulty), and Gold (most difficult).

Solve It! gives encouraging, positive feedback on each problem
and at the end of each ten-problem session. After you complete
ten problems, Solve It! scores the percentage answered
correctly.

The Solve It! App is a concept application that TI wants to share
with our customers, educators, and students before the product
definition and testing are complete. It is an alpha software
version, and as such, it may contain imperfections, or the coding
may be incomplete.

TI invites your feedback concerning the functionality and
educational value of the Solve It! App. Please send your
comments and questions to [e-mail]

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 3

.

What You Need

Note

In this guidebook, any information that pertains to the TI-83 Plus also
pertains to the TI-83 Plus Silver Edition, unless otherwise noted.

Hardware and software

Notes

TI-83 Plus or TI-83 Plus Silver Edition
with version 1.14 or higher of the
operating system software

You can download a free copy of the
latest operating system software from

education.ti.com/softwareupdates.

Follow the link to Operating Systems.
Computer with Microsoft® Windows®

95/98/2000, Windows NT®, or Apple®
Mac® OS 7.1 or higher installed

TI-GRAPH LINK™ computer-to­calculator cable

If you do not have this cable, call your
distributor, or order the cable from
TI’s online store.

TI-GRAPH LINK software that is
compatible with the TI-83 Plus
—or—
TI™ Connect software, which works with
all supported models of Flash-based TI
graphing calculators.

You can download free copies of
TI-GRAPH LINK and TI Connect
software from

education.ti.com/softwareupdates.

Follow the link to Connectivity
Software.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 4

Where to Find Installation Instructions

Note

The instructions in this guidebook are only for this App. If you need help
using the TI-83 Plus, refer to its comprehensive guidebook at

education.ti.com/guides.

Detailed instructions on installing this and other Apps are
available at education.ti.com/guides
installation instructions.

. Follow the link to Flash

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 5

Starting and Quitting the Application

Starting the Application

1. Press

n

2. Select

to display the list of Apps on your calculator.

SolveIt

. The information screen is displayed.

3. Press any key to continue. The programmer’s screen is
displayed.

4. Press any key to continue. The

SELECT A LEVEL

menu is

displayed.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 6

Quitting the Application

To quit the App, you must display the

SELECT A LEVEL

1. If you are on a problem screen, select

key, or press

R

2. From the

key, or press

R

\ 

SELECT A LEVEL

\ 

.

menu, select

.

BACK

QUIT

by pressing the

by pressing the

menu.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 7

Navigating

Press a graphing key
to select one of these
options. For example,
press

U

to select

HELP.

To move the cursor to a blank space in the table, use the

•

arrow keys (

To enter an element (either a number or an operation), input

•

the element and press

To select an option defined at the bottom of the screen (such

•

as

BACK

directly below the option.

R S T U V

`, h, _

, and a).

¯

.

associated with the R key), press the graphing key

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 8

Getting Help

From the

U

key.

SELECT A LEVEL

menu, select

HELP

by pressing the

Help screen

To return to the

SELECT A LEVEL

menu, press any key.

TI invites your feedback concerning the functionality and
educational value of the Solve It! App. Please send your
comments and questions to [e-mail]

.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 9

Using the Application

From the

SELECT A LEVEL

menu, select the Bronze, Silver, or Gold

level.

At the Bronze level, you must calculate two different values and
enter these missing values into the table. At the Silver level, you
must calculate one value and enter this missing value into the
table. At the Gold level, you must determine a number and an
operation to enter in order to make the sentence true.

When a problem appears, it takes a few seconds to “materialize”
on the screen. If you don’t want to wait, press any key.

Notes

To backspace over the last digit you entered, press the

•

key. To clear the entire entry, press the

s

key.

^

Only integer values may be entered; the decimal point is not

•

accepted.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 10

The standard order of operations applies to all algebraic

•

equations.
Each value from the table is substituted for the appropriate

•

variable in the equation. For example, if the equation is
B = A
B = (

When you finish a set of 10 problems, the results are shown.

•

2

+7 and if A =

2

5)

+ 7. Therefore, B = 32.

−

5, then the substitution is made as

−

Bronze Level

A typical problem at the Bronze level looks like this:

Bronze level screen

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 11

Solve It! generates equations with two variables. The table below
the equations provides some of the possible values for the
variables, which are clues to help find the missing values. Each
column in the table provides values that satisfy the equation.

You must fill in the missing values. An empty cell in the table is
highlighted.

1. Press the number keys to input a number. To enter a
negative number, press

and then the number keys.

®

2. Press

¯

to enter the number.

Solve It! displays a message to tell you whether your solution is
correct or incorrect. If the answer is incorrect, the correct answer
is shown in parentheses.

3. Press any key to proceed. The cursor moves to the next
empty cell in the table.

Each correct answer earns 10 points. The box at the top right of
the screen shows your cumulative score.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 12

Silver Level

The Silver level is like the Bronze level, except that there are
only two columns of elements in the table. You must calculate
one number to complete the table.

Silver level screen

The format of the problems is a bit more difficult than the Bronze
level, and there is only one hint. Exponents may be missing from
the equations.

Gold Level

At the Gold level, you must determine a number and an
operation to enter in order to make the sentence true. One of the
missing elements may be an exponent. More than one answer
may be correct.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 13

The missing +, –, or

operation is represented by a question

…

mark within braces {?}. Solve It! does not generate equations
where a root or division operation is missing.

Gold level screen

No hints are provided in additional columns as in the Bronze and
Silver levels. At the Gold level, Solve It! does not give feedback
until both missing elements are entered.

The empty cell in the table is highlighted. You can enter the
elements in any order.

1. Depending on the missing element, input an integer or an
operation.

2. Press

or hto move the cursor to the next empty cell in

`

the table.

3. Press

¯

to submit your answers for the missing

elements.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 14

Solve It! displays a message to tell you whether your solution is
correct or incorrect. If the answer is incorrect, the correct
answers are shown in parentheses.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 15

Deleting the Application from Your Calculator

1. Press

\ /

2. Select

3. Select

Mem Mgmt/Del

Apps

to display the

.

4. Move the cursor to

5. Press

6. Select

. A confirmation message is displayed.

^

to delete the application.

Yes

.

SolveIt

.

MEMORY

menu.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 16

Installation Error Messages

Low Battery

Do not attempt to download a Flash application if the low-battery
message appears on the home screen. Low battery indication is
shown on the initial screen. If you receive this error during an
installation, change the batteries before trying again.

Invalid Signature or Certificate

Either this calculator does not have a certificate to run the
application, or electrical interference caused a link to fail. Try to
install the application again.

Error in Xmit

This problem is usually associated with the unit-to-unit cable and
its connection between the calculators. Make sure the cable is
firmly inserted in the link port of each calculator.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 17

Link Transmission Error

This error indicates that the TI™ Connect or TI-GRAPH LINK™
software is unable to communicate with the calculator. The
problem is usually associated with the TI-GRAPH LINK cable
and its connection to the calculator or to the computer.

Make sure the cable is firmly inserted in the calculator’s link

•

port and the computer’s serial or USB port.
Verify that the correct cable type is selected in the software

•

link settings.
Verify that the correct communications port (Com Port) is

•

selected in the software link settings. (This step does not
apply if you are using the USB port and TI Connect
software.)

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 18

Archive Full

This error occurs when the TI-83 Plus does not have sufficient
memory for the application. In order to make room for another
application, you must delete an application or archived variables
from the TI-83 Plus. Before you delete an application from the
TI-83 Plus, you can save it on your computer using TI™ Connect
or TI-GRAPH LINK™ software for the TI-83 Plus. You can reload
it to the TI-83 Plus later using the TI-GRAPH LINK or TI Connect
software.

Other Errors

See pages B-6 through B-10 in the TI-83 Plus Graphing

Calculator Guidebook for information about the specific error.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 19

Checking Version Numbers and Free Space

Verify Operating System Version and ID Number

The Solve It! App is compatible with the TI-83 Plus operating
system 1.14 and higher.

To verify your operating system version number:

1. From the home screen, press

2. Select

ABOUT

.

\ /

.

The operating system version number is displayed below the
product name and has the format x.yy. The ID number appears
on the line below the product number.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 20

Verify Flash Application Version

The version number appears on the information screen below
the application name. To display the information screen, do one
of the following:

•

Press

, and then select

n

SolveIt

.

—or—

•

Select

from the application’s main menu.

INFO

Check Amount of Flash Application Free Space

1. From the home screen, press

2.

Select

Mem Mgmt/Del

.

\ /

The Solve It! App requires at least 16,384 bytes of

.

ARC FREE

(Flash), or one space, to load the application.
For more information about memory and memory management,

refer to the TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator Guidebook

.

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 21

Concept Application Evaluation License Agreement

(Including Preview, Prototype, and Demo Apps)

BY DOWNLOADING THE SOFTWARE AND/OR DOCUMENTATION YOU AGREE TO ABIDE BY
THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS.

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software program(s) (“License Materials”) contained on this diskette/CD/web site. You, and any
subsequent user, may only use the Licensed Materials on Texas Instruments calculat or
products.

2. RESTRICTIONS: You may not reverse-assemble or reverse-compile the Licensed Materials.

You may not sell, rent , or lease copies that you m ake.

3. COPYRIGHT: The Licensed Materials are copyrighted by TI or the third party licensor. Licensee

agrees that he/she will not delete the copyright notice, trademarks or protective notic es from the
Licensed Materials or copies made during installation.

4. SUPPORT: The Licensed Material s are provided by TI with the understanding that only l i mited

support for this concept appl i cation may be available from T I .

5. TESTING: Licensee ac knowledges that he/she understands that TI has not in all cases

subjected concept appli cations to rigorous testing and that the concept applic ation may cause
problems with his/her calculator, including its use in any kind of shared environment. F urther, it
is possible for a concept application to cause c al culator crashes or lock ups which may be
difficult to recover f rom. You are advised that use of the concept application is AT YOUR OWN
RISK.

6. WARRANTY: T I does not warrant that the Licensed Materi al s will be free from errors or will

meet your specific requi rements.
THE LICENSED MATERIALS ARE MADE AVAILABLE “AS IS” TO LICENSEE.

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IMPLIED, INCLUDING B UT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
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LICENSED MATERIALS.

IN NO EVENT SHALL TI, ANY THIRD PARTY LICENSOR, OR TI’S SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE
FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUE NTIAL DAMAGES, LO SS OF PROFITS,

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 22

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DAMAGES ARE LAB ELED IN TORT, CONTRACT O R I NDEMNITY.
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8. RESTRICTED RIGHTS: The Li censed Materials are provided with Restricted Ri ghts. Use,

duplication or disclos ure by t he Uni ted States Government is subject to restrictions as set forth
in subparagraph [c](1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Com puter Software clause at
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TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 23

Page Reference

This PDF document contains electronic bookmarks designed for easy on­screen navigation. If you decide to print this document, please use the page
numbers below to find specific topics.

Important Information............................................................................................ 2

What Is the Solve It! Application?......................................................................... 3

What You Need .................................................................................................... 4

Where to Find Installation Instructions ................................................................. 5

Starting and Quitting the Application.....................................................................6

Navigating............................................................................................................. 8

Getting Help.......................................................................................................... 9

Using the Application..........................................................................................10

Deleting the Application from Your Calculator....................................................16

Installation Error Messages ................................................................................17

Checking Version Numbers and Free Space ..................................................... 20

Concept Application Evaluation License Agreement..........................................22

TI-83 Plus Solve It! Application Page 24