Anybody else have a problem with the sticker price of 129.99 for a calculator for a 8th grader?

Question

I know I can get a TI-84 Plus Graphic Calculator for 80.00 on E-Bay or Craig's List but still, for a 13 year old girl who lost her 20.00 zip drive last year and never brought her 35.00 calculator home to do home work are they really serious? I get sick of the school expecting everybody to shell out 200.00 worth of just school supplies every year. We live in the suburbs and pay high taxes for school. Do they think I'm made out of money because I live in the burbs? I don't want to cause trouble in the very begining of the year but this is just to much. I have a girlfriend who is tight for money and she told me she bought one for both her children. Is it just that people think their kids need it and don't want any problems, so they just buy it and shut up about it? I also don't want to seem like a charity case. It's more of the princible of it. What do I do?

Answer 1

Well, you do need scientific calculators like that in high school, so investing in one now would be a smart idea I suppose.  Just make in plain to her that she's not getting another one, and if she loses it and needs a second one for school, its coming out of her money.

Answer 2

its quite pricey but....your in the wrong section...

Answer 3

you can probably get one from an older cousin or family friend but the only good thing about it is you only need to buy one for the rest of her years in school just be sure to put her name on the calculator and cover and buy a case for it to avoid it getting cracked or broken in her back pack, i understand about how it is ridiculous that they expect you to spend so much and i totally agree  

Answer 4

Well, those calculators are really advanced.

:D

I like 'em.

And the regular ones don't do all the stuff that 8th graders need.

I mean what math is it for?

Like Algebra?

Yeah, I didn't have mine for like the 1st semester and it SUCKED.

You should just buy it and get over it.

Everyone has to deal with it.

Answer 5

Definatly. I know exactly what calculator you're talking about! We use them at school but they are given to us to use for the period.

If your 8th grader is doing the same math I was, they DEFINATLY don't need it. You use it for like 3 weeks and off and on over the year. In fact, I didn't start using them until 9th grade when I entered high school.

I would talk to the teachers and see why you need something like this before you even think about  buying it! That's WAY too much for a calculator.

Answer 6

yeah thats alott but i had to get one too..they will still be able to use it in high school because the advanced classes need them

Answer 7

i think any more than $20 is to much for a calculator