Exploring every app on the fx-CG50 graphic calculator

The fx-CG50 is our most advanced graphic calculator approved by exam boards and offers a broad range of features and functionality. So broad, in fact, that you might not even be aware of some of its capabilities.
In this blog, we run through every app on the calculator and provide an overview of how each mode can aid your teaching and support student understanding.
Run-Matrix
Likely to be your first port of call for many tasks, Run-Matrix allows you to perform common operations including calculations with fractions, decimals, trig ratios, logarithms and exponentials, matrices, vectors and complex numbers.
This is also where you can use SolveN to solve equations numerically, recall values you’ve found in other modes, and do numerical integration and differentiation.
Statistics
In Statistics mode, you can enter data into lists and use these values for a range of calculations, including finding the mean and standard deviation.
This app also lets you draw statistical diagrams including bar charts, scatter diagrams and box plots. These visual representations can serve as a starting point to explore concepts such as bivariate regression.
eActivity
The notebook-style interface in eActivity mode allows you to enter text, mathematical expressions, formulae and other data for use in calculations and problem solving.
Spreadsheet
This app gives you access to spreadsheets made up of 26 columns and 999 rows, where you can input formulae and perform statistical calculations. You can also graph your data, much like in Statistics mode.
It’s possible to investigate chi squared tests in Spreadsheet, by using the formula you’ve added to examine individual contribution values.
Graph
Graph mode is your most likely starting point when you want to visualise functions and analyse the resulting graphs to find values such as roots, intersections and integrated areas.
You can store up to 20 functions in the calculator’s memory to recall, edit and graph later.
Dyna Graph
Dyna Graph serves as a nice extension of Graph mode because it lets you adjust the variables in your function and view the effects of these changes in the form of an animated graph.
Table
The fx-CG50’s Table mode also works well alongside Graph, because when a function is stored in one app it’s automatically carried over to the other.
Table lets you input functions and generate a numeric table of values to be viewed all at once, which can prove useful for activities such as solving equations through decimal search.
Recursion
In Recursion mode, you can enter formulae and produce a numeric list to scroll through different values as the variables in the function change.
It’s a versatile app, offering options to explore sequences that change incrementally, as well as topics such as using iteration as the basis for numerical methods of solving equations, as shown in this video.
Conic Graphs
The Conic Graphs app offers the functionality to graph parabolas, circles, ellipses and hyperbolas, based on input data including rectangular and polar coordinates.
It’s a useful mode to explore when you’re teaching topics such as inverse functions and showing students that one value of x can sometimes equal more than one value of y, and vice versa.
Equation
Equation mode is the place to go when you want to solve simultaneous equations or polynomial equations such as quadratics and cubics.
The fx-CG50 also offers the functionality to approach these problems graphically, of course. This gives you the option to extend learning by looking at where the graphs of a linear and a quadratic equation intersect.
Program
In Program mode, you can program the calculator to carry out tasks such as calculating the surface area and volume of an octahedron when the length of one side is known.
This can be an interesting way to introduce students to aspects of computer programming. It should be noted, however, that this functionality – along with other apps such as e-Activity and E-CON4 – is disabled when the calculator is in exam mode.
Financial
This app allows you to perform financial calculations such as working out simple and compound interest, analysing cash flow and performing interest rate conversions.
E-CON4
More relevant to subjects such as physics than maths, E-CON4 can take data from an external source – such as a measuring tool, or a sound sample collected by the built-in microphone – and present it graphically.
Link
Use the Link application when you want to transfer data to your calculator’s memory, or back up data to another handset or a PC.
Memory
This is where you can manage the data stored on your handset’s memory, which includes importing and exporting useful materials. One situation where this can be particularly handy is when students want to transfer a large amount of data to analyse in Statistics mode, which they can do by importing a CSV file.
System
System lets you initialise memory and adjust settings on your handset, such as display brightness, to ensure you can use it as comfortably as possible.
Python
Another app that is disabled in exam mode, Python can give students an introduction to software programming using the Python programming language.
Distribution
Distribution mode, which is available on fx-CG50 handsets running OS 3.6 and later, is our recommended default app for probability distribution calculations.
It has the capability to graph both discrete and continuous distributions and seamlessly calculate right-hand probabilities, which is a big benefit for A-level maths students.
Geometry
The Geometry app lets you draw and analyse various geometric objects, including lines, vectors, circles, functions and polygons.
Picture Plot
Picture Plot mode on the fx-CG50 can take visual materials such as photographs and analyse them.
If you import a stop-motion image of a ball being thrown, for example, you could plot points along the ball’s trajectory and calculate the equation of the arc.
3D Graph
Particularly useful in A-level Further Maths, 3D Graph provides built-in templates you can use to draw lines, planes, spheres, cylinders and cones in three-dimensional space.
It can encourage investigation and help to improve understanding for students when they’re asked to go beyond familiar Cartesian coordinates and start thinking in terms of x, y and z.
Physium
Physium lets you view the periodic table, with information including the symbol, atomic weight and atomic number of every element. It also features lists of universal, electromagnetic, atomic and nuclear physical constants.
Like Python and other specialised apps on the fx-CG50, Physium is not available in exam mode, meaning it’s most useful as a reference tool.
Probability Simulation
This mode gives you the option to run randomised probability simulations on the calculator, removing the inconvenience and potential disruption of having physical resources such as dice and coins in the classroom.
Dive deeper into the fx-CG50
Whatever your level of knowledge and experience with the fx-CG50, we offer many resources to help you refine your skills and learn more.
Beginners can sign up for free introductory training, while those interested in how the calculator can aid teaching and understanding of specific parts of the curriculum can join one of our Topic Deep Dive webinars.
You can also find an extensive library of videos, leaflets and other materials specific to the fx-CG50 in our online resources centre.