This guidebook applies to TI-Nspire™ software version 3.0. To obtain the
latest version of the documentation, go to education.ti.com/guides.
Important Information
Except as otherwise expressly stated in the License that accompanies a
program, Texas Instruments makes no warranty, either express or
implied, including but not limited to any implied warranties of
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programs or book materials and makes such materials available solely on
an "as-is" basis. In no event shall Texas Instruments be liable to anyone
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with or arising out of the purchase or use of these materials, and the sole
and exclusive liability of Texas Instruments, regardless of the form of
action, shall not exceed the amount set forth in the license for the
program. Moreover, Texas Instruments shall not be liable for any claim of
any kind whatsoever against the use of these materials by any other
party.
FCC Statement
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from
that to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Texas Instruments Support and Service..................................... 103
Index ....................................................................................105
v
vi
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™
handheld
The TI-Nspire™ handheld and the TI-Nspire™ CAS handheld are the
second generation handhelds in the TI-Nspire™ family of products. These
handhelds provide touchpad navigation, dynamic graphing, and
interactive computer features.
The handheld and the TI-Nspire™ software share the same functionality,
enabling you to transfer class assignments from the handheld to the
computer or transfer documents to the handheld when you need to be
mobile. Start assignments at school, then finish the work at home to take
advantage of the software’s full-color display and easy-to-use navigation.
Use the software to download the latest software and handheld
operating system updates as they become available to ensure you have
the latest enhancements.
This guide covers both the TI-Nspire™ handheld and the TI-Nspire™ CAS
handheld. While they operate identically in many ways, there are a few
distinctions. If the TI-Nspire™ CAS handheld has additional functionality,
it is pointed out and the CAS operation is described.
About CAS
With CAS, or the Computer Algebra System, you can:
• Perform both symbolic and numeric calculations.
• Factor and expand expressions and solve for common denominators.
TI-Nspire™ CAS technology makes it possible to recognize, simplify, and
calculate math expressions, preserving the symbols including variables
and terms such as “e” and p.
This ability to enter and view equations and expressions on screen as they
appear in textbooks is especially useful for step-by-step, arithmetic,
algebraic, and calculus calculations.
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld1
TI-Nspire™ handheld keys
d Removes menus
or dialog boxes from
the screen. Also stops
a calculation in
progress.
Use the TI-Nspire™ Touchpad as you
would a laptop
touchpad. You can also
press the outer edges
to move right, left, up,
and down.
c Turns on the
handheld. If the
handheld is on, this
key displays the home
screen.
» Opens the
Scratchpad for
performing quick
calculations and
graphing.
e Moves to the
next entry field.
doc
/ Provides access to
the function or
character shown
above each key. Also
enables shortcuts in
combination with
other keys.
TI-Nspire Touchpad
g Makes the
next character typed
upper-case.
Note: A ¢ symbol on a key indicates access to multiple
options. To access an option, press º repeatedly or use
the arrow keys on the touchpad. Press · or click to
select the option.
~ Opens the
Document menu.
b Displays the
application or
context menu.
. Deletes the
previous character.
h Displays
stored variables.
· Evaluates an
expression,
executes an
instruction, or
selects a menu
item.
2Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld
Preparing the handheld for use
TI-Nspire™ handhelds are shipped with four alkaline AAA batteries and a
standard A male to mini B male USB cable. Handhelds can also be
powered using the TI-Nspire™ Rechargeable Battery or an approved wall
charger, which are sold separately.
Before using the handheld, either install the AAA batteries or install and
charge the TI-Nspire™ Rechargeable Battery (if purchased). You can also
connect your handheld to an external power source if you have the wall
charger.
Note: For more information about installing batteries, see Configuring
the TI-Nspire™ handheld.
Turning on the TI-Nspire™ handheld for the first
time
1. Ensure that batteries have been installed or charged, or that the
handheld is connected to a power source.
2. Press c to turn on the handheld.
A progress bar displays while the operating system loads, then you
are prompted to choose preferences for language and font size.
To turn the handheld off, press
contents are retained.
Note: For more information about installing and charging batteries, see
Configuring the TI-Nspire™ handheld.
/c. The settings and memory
Using Automatic Power Down™
To prolong battery life, the Automatic Power Down™ (APD™) feature
turns off the handheld after three minutes of inactivity. When this
happens, press
document or menu accessed. To change the default setting, press
c to turn the handheld on and return to the last
c53 to access the Handheld Setup screen where you can
change the
Note: For more information about setting up the handheld, see
Configuring the TI-Nspire™ handheld.
Choosing a language
After the OS is loaded, select a preferred language.
Power Standby setting.
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld3
1. Press ¢ to open the drop-down menu.
2. Press
3. Press
6 to scroll through the languages, then press x or · to
select a language.
e to highlight the OK button, then press x or · to save
the language selection.
Choosing a font size
Next, select a font size for the display.
1. Press
2. Press
3. Press
¢ to open the drop-down menu.
6 to highlight the font size, then press x or · to select it.
e to highlight the OK button, then press x or · to save
the selection and open the
Welcome! screen.
4Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld
4. To continue, click x or press · to select OK and open the Home
screen.
Using the TI-Nspire™ Touchpad
Use the Touchpad to navigate or complete any task that can be
completed using the arrow and Enter keys. Use the touchpad to navigate
in two ways:
• Use it like a computer touchpad by moving your fingertip in a sliding
motion on the center area of the touchpad to activate and move the
mouse pointer. Click or tap the center of the Touchpad to select a
menu option or complete an action.
• Press the arrow keys on the outside edge of the Touchpad to nudge
the mouse pointer up, down, left, or right, then click x or
press · to complete an action.
If you hold down an arrow key, the mouse pointer continues to move
in that direction.
Note: If the mouse pointer is visible on a command or file, click or
x in the center of the touchpad to select that command or file. If
tap
the command or file is highlighted, move the pointer over that item or
press
· to select it.
When working in an application, use the touchpad to access more
information about problems. For example, hovering over a Graphs &
Geometry object displays information about variables used in that object
and about tools that are available.
Some users prefer to customize their touchpad settings; to speed up or
slow down the pointer, or to enable tap to click. To change default
settings for the touchpad see Configuring the TI-Nspire™ handheld.
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld5
Using the Home screen
The Home screen opens when you power on your handheld for the first
time. The Home screen provides a starting point for all activities
performed on a handheld:
• Opening the Scratchpad for quick calculations and graphing
• Creating new documents
• Opening and managing existing documents
• Defining settings and viewing status
• Viewing hints for operating the handheld
• Accessing recent documents
• Returning to the current document
Note: To return to the Home screen from any other location, press c.
Selecting options on the Home screen
• By default, the cursor is not active. To activate the cursor, swipe the
touchpad with your fingertip.
• Use the touchpad to click on any of the application icons or any of the
Scratchpad or Documents menu options.
• Press the arrows on the touchpad (
options on the Home screen.
• Move the mouse pointer over each application icon to view a brief
description.
• Press
x or · to select a highlighted option, or press the number
or letter associated with the option.
3, 4, 5,or6) to move among the
Adjusting the contrast
To lighten the display, press and hold / and tap -.
To darken the display, press and hold
6Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld
/ and tap +.
Home screen options
Menu OptionPurpose
Scratchpad
Use the Scratchpad menu options to open a Calculator or Graph
application without affecting your document.
While in Scratchpad, press » to toggle between Scratchpad
applications: Calculate and Graph.
CalculateOpens the Scratchpad with a Calculator application
active. From the Home screen, type
GraphOpens the Scratchpad with a Graph application
active. From the Home screen, type
Documents
To select options for working with documents, press the associated
number or use the Touchpad to select an icon then press
A.
B.
x or ·.
New
Document
My
Documents
RecentLists the five most recently saved documents.
CurrentGoes to the document that is currently open.
SettingsCheck the status of the handheld and change
Application icons
To add a new page to the current document, select an application
icon. If no document is open, a new document opens with the
selected application on a new page.
Calculator
Opens a new TI-Nspire™ document with available
applications listed.
Opens the file browser where you can open existing
TI-Nspire™ documents or send files to others.
settings.
Adds a page to a document for entering and
evaluating math expressions.
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld7
Menu OptionPurpose
Graphs
Geometry
Lists &
Spreadsheet
Data &
Statistics
Notes
Adds a page for graphing and exploring functions.
Adds a page for creating and exploring geometric
shapes.
Adds a page for working with data in tables.
Adds a page and provides tools used to visualize
sets of data in different types of plots and provides
tools for manipulating data sets to explore
relationships between the sets of data.
Provides text editing functions for adding text to
TI-Nspire™ documents for use as notes or to share
with other users.
Ver nier
DataQuest™
Adds a page for collecting and analyzing data from
sensors or probes.
To learn more about applications and documents, see the Working with
Documents on the TI-Nspire™ handhelds.
8Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld
Understanding the Scratchpad
Use the Scratchpad to make quick calculations and graphs without
affecting the current TI-Nspire™ document. For example, when you need
a quick way to test a calculation before you add it to a document, you
can open the Scratchpad application and perform the calculation. Then,
you can either discard the calculation or add it to a document. For more
information about the Scratchpad, please see Using the Scratchpad.
The TI-Nspire™ handheld screen
The icons on the handheld screen provide information about the status
of handheld operations and provide an easy way to access and change
settings. This screen shows the icons, which are described below.
Ã
ÁÂ
ÄÅÆÇÀ
À
IconFunction
3 4
À
Á
Â
Ã
Page scrolling arrows - Use the touchpad and these
arrows to scroll through the pages in a document.
Page tabs - Indicate the problem number followed by
the page number. If problems are named, move the
touchpad pointer over the tab to view the page name.
Document name - Shows the current document name.
Click here to access the Documents menu. An asterisk by
the document name indicates changes were made since
the document was last saved.
Press to Test - Indicates that the handheld is in Press-to-
Test mode.
Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld9
IconFunction
Ä
Å
Login status - Shows whether the handheld is searching
for an access point (blinking), found an access point
(solid), not communicating, connected and ready to log
in (a blinking arrow), or logged in and charged (a solid
arrow). Click here to view Settings & Status.
g, /,orÊ status
Æ
Ç
Settings & status - Shows the level of the battery
supply. Click here to change settings.
Close document - Click here to close the current
document. If information is unsaved, save or discard
when prompted.
Using Hints
Hints are quick tips available throughout the software on the handheld.
There are several easy ways to access Hints:
• Press
• Some dialog boxes contain a question mark icon. Click this icon to
f To scroll through the Hints, use the touchpad or arrow keys:
/ μ.
open Hints for that task.
– To page down, press / 3.
– To page up, press
– To go to the end of the Hints file, press
– To go back to the beginning of the file, press
/ 9.
/ 1.
/ 7.
10Getting started with the TI-Nspire™ handheld
Using the Scratchpad
The Scratchpad is a feature of the TI-Nspire™ handheld that lets you
quickly:
• Evaluate math expressions.
• Graph functions.
Opening and closing the Scratchpad
f From the Home screen, press » to open the Scratchpad.
The first time you open the Scratchpad, a blank page opens with the
Calculator active.
f Press
» to alternate between the Calculate and Graph pages.
Using the Scratchpad11
f Press b to see the Scratchpad Calculate or Scratchpad Graph
menu. These menus are subsets of the TI-Nspire™ menus for the
Calculator and Graphs & Geometry applications. For complete listings
of those menus, refer to the documentation for those applications.
f Press
d to close the Scratchpad.
Calculating with the Scratchpad
From the Scratchpad Calculate page, enter a math expression on the
entry line, then press
in standard mathematical notation as you enter them.
Each evaluated expression and result becomes part of the Scratchpad
history, displayed above the entry line.
· to evaluate the expression. Expressions display
Entering simple math expressions
Note: To enter a negative number, press v and then enter the number.
Suppose you want to evaluate
1. Select the entry line in the work area.
2. Type
3. Press
2 l 8 to begin the expression.
¢ to return the cursor to the baseline, and then complete the
expression by typing:
r 43 p 12
4. Press · to evaluate the expression.
The expression displays in standard mathematical notation, and the
result displays on the right side of the page.
Note: You can force a decimal approximation in a result by pressing
/
· instead of ·.
12Using the Scratchpad
Pressing
result.
Note: Results formatting can also be adjusted in Settings. See Working
with documents on the TI-Nspire™ handheld for more information about
Settings.
/
· forces the approximate
Inserting items from the Catalog
You can use the Catalog to insert functions and commands, units,
symbols, and expression templates into the entry line.
1. Press
k to open the Catalog. By default, the first tab is displayed,
which lists all commands and functions in alphabetical order.
Catalog
for a nonCAS
handheld
Catalog for
a CAS
handheld
Using the Scratchpad13
2. If the function you are inserting is visible in the list, select it and press
· to insert it.
3. If the function is not visible:
a) Press a letter key to jump to the entries that begin with that letter.
b) Press
c) Click a numbered tab to list functions by category: math functions,
d) Press
¤ or £ as necessary to highlight the item you are inserting.
symbols, math templates, library objects, and value for standard
measurement units (CAS).
· to insert the item into the entry line.
Using an expression template
Templates help you enter matrices, piecewise functions, systems of
equations, integrals, derivatives, products, and other math expressions.
For example, suppose you want to evaluate
1. Press t to open the Template palette.
2. Select to insert the algebraic sum template.
The template appears on the entry line with small blocks representing
elements that you can enter. A cursor appears next to one of the
elements to show that you can type a value for that element.
3. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to each element’s position, and
type a value or expression for each element.
4. Press
14Using the Scratchpad
· to evaluate the expression.
Inserting expressions using a wizard
You can use a wizard to simplify entering some expressions. The wizard
contains labeled boxes to help you enter the arguments in the
expression.
For example, suppose you want to fit a y=mx+b linear regression model
to the following two lists:
{1,2,3,4,5}
{5,8,11,14,17}
1. Press
2. Click inside the list, and then press
3. Press
4. If the
k1 to open the Catalog and show the alphabetic list of
functions.
L to jump to the entries that
begin with “L.”
¤ as necessary to highlight LinRegMx.
Wizards On option is not checked: Press ee to highlight
Wizards On, press · to change the setting, then press ee to
highlight
LinRegMx again.
LinRegMx
function in a
non-CAS
handheld
Using the Scratchpad15
LinRegMx
function in a
CAS
handheld
5. Press ·.
A wizard opens, giving you a labeled box to type each argument.
6. Type {
1,2,3,4,5} as X List.
7. Press e to move to the Y List box.
8. Type
{5,8,11,14,17} as Y List.
9. If you want to store the regression equation in a specific variable,
press e, and then replace Save RegEqn To with the name of the
variable.
10. Select
OK to close the wizard and insert the expression into the entry
line.
The expression is inserted along with statements to copy the
regression equation and display the variable stat.results, which will
contain the results.
The Scratchpad then displays the stat.results variables.
Note: You can copy values from the stat.results variables and paste
them into the entry line.
Viewing the history
Each evaluated expression and result becomes part of the Scratchpad
history, displayed above the entry line.
f Press
£ or ¤ to scroll through the history.
À Current entry/total entries
À
Using the Scratchpad17
Copying a history item to the entry line
You can quickly copy an expression, subexpression, or result from the
history into the entry line.
1. Press
2. Optionally, select part of the expression or result by using
3. Press
£ or ¤ to move through the history and select the item that
you want to copy.
Shift in
combination with the arrow keys.
· to copy the selection and insert it into the entry line.
Clearing the history
When you clear the history, all variables and functions defined in the
history retain their current values. If you clear the history by mistake, use
the undo feature.
f From the
(Press
All expressions and results are removed from the history.
Actions menu, select Clear History.
b 1 5.)
Editing Scratchpad expressions
Although you cannot edit a Scratchpad Calculate expression in the
history, you can copy all or part of an expression from the history and
paste it to the entry line. You can then edit the entry line.
Inserting elements into the entry line
1. Press e, ¡, ¢, £, or ¤ to position the cursor in the expression. The
cursor moves to the closest valid position in the direction that you
press.
2. Type the elements or insert them from the Catalog.
Selecting part of an expression
You can delete, cut, or copy a selected part of an expression.
1. Press
2. Press and hold
18Using the Scratchpad
¡, ¢, £, or ¤ to move the cursor to a starting point in the
expression.
g and press ¡, ¢, £, or ¤ to select.
– To delete the selection, press ..
– To cut the selection to the Clipboard, press
– To copy the selection to the Clipboard, press
– To paste the selection to a new entry line in Scratchpad, press
/X.
/C.
/V.
Graphing with the Scratchpad
From the Scratchpad Graph page, click the Entry Line Expand button
to display the entry line and type an expression to graph. The entry line
displays the required format for typing a function. The default graph
type is Function, so the form f1(x)= displays.
1. Choose
For example,
• To graph a scatter plot, press b34. Click var to choose
• To graph a function, press
The entry line changes to display the expression format for the
specified graph type. You can specify multiple functions of each
graph type.
2. Type an expression and any other parameters required for the graph
type.
Graph Type from the menu, and select a graph type.
variable to plot as x and y for sn.
b31.
3. Press
· to graph the function, or press ¤ to add another function.
If necessary, you can use press
Window/Zoom
When you graph the expression, the entry line disappears to show an
uncluttered view of the graph. If you select or trace a function, that
function displays on the entry line. You can change a function by
editing its expression or grabbing and changing the graph.
As you graph multiple functions on the axes, the label containing the
expression displays for each. You can define and graph a maximum of
99 functions of each type.
menu and adjust the viewing area.
b4 to choose a tool on the
Using the Scratchpad19
4. Use the b key to explore and analyze the graphed function by
tracing it, finding points of interest, or assigning a variable in the
expression to a slider.
Viewing the function table
f To display a table of values for the current function, press
b25.
f To hide the function table, click the graph and then press
b25.
Changing the appearance of the axes
As you work with graphs, the Cartesian axes are displayed by default.
You can change the appearance of the axes in the following ways:
1. Press
2. Select the axes and press
3. Adjust the axes scale and tic mark spacing manually.
20Using the Scratchpad
b4 and choose the Zoom tool to use.
/b3 to activate the Attributes
tool.
a) Press 9 or : to move to the attribute to change. For example,
choose the end style attribute.
b) Press 7 or 8 to choose the style to apply.
c) Change any other attributes of the axes as required for your work,
then press
a) Click and hold one tick mark, and move it on the axis. The spacing
and number of tic marks increases (or decreases) on both axes.
b) To adjust the scale and tic mark spacing on a single axis, press and
hold
d to exit the attributes tool.
g, and then grab and drag a tic mark on that axis.
4. Change axis end values by double-clicking them and typing new
values.
5. Adjust the location of the axes. To move the existing axes without
resizing or rescaling them, click in and drag an empty region of the
screen until the axes are in the desired location.
6. Change the axes’ scales by pressing
Type the values of your choice over the current values for x-min,
x-max, y-min, and y-max and click
7. Press b21 to hide or show the axes.
• If the axes are shown on the page, selecting this tool hides them.
• If the axes are hidden on the page, selecting this tool redisplays
them.
b41.
OK.
Tracing a graphed function
Graph Trace moves through the points of a graphed function,
parametric, polar, sequence, or scatter plot. To enable the trace tool:
1. Press
b51 to move across the points in a graphed function
in Trace model.
2. (Optional) To change the step increment for tracing, press
b53.
After you type a different step increment, the Graph Trace tool moves
across the graph in steps of that size, instead of moving at the default
step automatically defined with a function.
3. Use Graph Trace to explore a graphed function in the following ways:
• Move to a point and hover to move the trace cursor to that point.
Using the Scratchpad21
• Press 7 or 8to move from point to point on the function’s graph.
The coordinates of each point traced displays.
• Press 9 or : to move from one function’s graph to another, or to a
scatter plot. The point’s coordinates update to reflect the new
location of the trace. The trace cursor is positioned on the point of
the new graph or plot with the closest x value to the last point
identified on the previously traced function or graph.
• Type a number and press · to move the trace cursor to that
value on the function’s graph.
• Create a persistent point that remains on the graph while in
Graph
Trace mode by pressing · when the trace point reaches
the point you want to label.
• Trace through and identify the points at which the function has
no defined x or y value (a discontinuity). The string undef displays
instead of a value when you move over a point that is not defined
for the function.
Notes:
• When you select or trace a function on the work area, that
function displays on the Edit Line.
• When you trace beyond the initially visible graph, the screen pans
to show the area being traced.
4. Exit Graph Trace by pressing d or by choosing another tool.
Finding points of interest
You can use the tools on the Analyze Graph menu to find a point of
interest in a specified range of any graphed function. Choose a tool to
find zero, the minimum or maximum, the point of intersection or
inflection, or the numeric derivative (dy/dx) or Integral on the graph.
1. Select the point of interest that you want to find on the
Graph
menu. For example, to find a zero, press b61.
The icon for the selected tool displays at the top left on the work
area. Point to the icon to view a tooltip about how to use the selected
tool.
2. Click the graph you want to search for the point of interest, then click
a second time to indicate where to start the search for the point.
22Using the Scratchpad
Analyze
The second click marks the lower bound of the search region and a
dotted line displays.
Note: If you are finding the derivative (dy/dx), click the graph at the
point (numeric value) to use for finding the derivative.
3. Press 3 or 4 to move the dotted line that marks the search region, then
click the point at which you want to stop the search (upper bound of
the search region).
4. Press
· at the point to start the search. The tool shades the range.
If the search region you specified includes the point of interest, a
label for the point displays. If you change a graph that has points of
interest identified, be sure to check for changes in points of interest.
For example, if you edit the function on the entry line or manipulate
a plot, the point where the graph intersects zero can change.
The labeled points of interest remain visible on the graph. You can
exit the tool by pressing
d or choosing another tool.
Working with variables in the Scratchpad
Scratchpad variables are shared between Scratchpad Calculate and
Scratchpad Graph, but not with any TI-Nspire™ documents. If you use the
same name for a Scratchpad variable and a variable in a document, no
conflict occurs unless you attempt to copy expressions between
documents and the Scratchpad.
Saving the Scratchpad contents
You can save the Scratchpad Calculate page, the Scratchpad Graph page,
or both as a TI-Nspire™ document.
1. Press
~, then select Save to Document.
Using the Scratchpad23
2. Press ·.
The Save to Document dialog box opens.
3. Select the page or pages to save.
4. If a document is open, select either New or Current document.
5. Click Save.
• If you selected to save to an open document, the Scratchpad
pages are added to the document.
• If you selected to save to a new document:
– Click
– Type a name for the document.
– Click Save to save the new document.
Yes when the Save dialog box opens.
Clearing Scratchpad contents
Complete the following steps to delete the calculations and graphing
work from the Scratchpad application.
1. Press
2. Press
24Using the Scratchpad
~, then select Clear Scratchpad.
· to delete the Scratchpad contents.
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