How to expand your scientific calculator skill set

Following the recent revamp of our ClassWiz range, we’ve been taking a detailed look at scientific calculators on the Casio Education blog. We’ve covered topics including the most significant changes to the fx-83/85GT CW models and the fundamentals of using a scientific calculator.

In this blog post, we’re looking at some of the various things you can do and resources available to help you become more competent with your calculator of choice, whether it’s the fx-83/85GT CW or the more advanced fx-991CW.

Don’t be afraid to experiment!

One of the easiest and most accessible ways to become more confident with your scientific calculator is, very simply, to use it as much as possible.

Students can be a big help in this regard. If calculators are easily available and a key element of your lessons, students will be naturally curious and keen to use them, especially if the device can make their lives easier and ease some of the stress associated with exams.

Depending on how you like to teach, you could even admit to students that you’re unfamiliar with certain operations yourself, and set about experimenting and learning them together.

Go step-by-step

Trying to absorb everything a scientific calculator can do in one go can feel overwhelming, as well as being an inefficient learning method.

A preferable alternative could be to take a slow and steady approach, focusing on specific topics, tools and calculator operations as they arise naturally within your teaching and lesson planning.

This is a method recommended by one of the experienced teachers we regularly speak to at Casio: Claire Clay, Lead Practitioner for Maths at Ormiston Academies Trust.

Claire has even created a library of short, easily digestible information cards and videos covering some of the most useful functions of our ClassWiz calculators, including solving quadratic equations, converting mixed numbers to improper fractions and using the ANS key.

The cards and videos are all freely available on Google Drive. Check them out here.

When in doubt, check the manual

When you need clear and detailed guidance on a specific function of your scientific calculator, the best course of action is always to consult the manual.

Freely available online, these exhaustive documents cover everything you can do on the fx-83/85GT CW and the fx-991CW. They’re broken down into detailed sections and chapters, so you can skip directly to the part you need.

The manuals also feature useful visual prompts showing you exactly what key presses are required to execute certain operations.

Take advantage of our resource library

The Casio Education resources centre is full of useful assets you can use to improve your scientific calculator skills. You can sign up for free and create a personal library of resources that are most relevant and applicable to you and your students.

In light of the recent updates to the ClassWiz range, you can find short videos covering topics including changes in advanced functionality on the fx-991CW and updates to some of the basic key and calculation functions on the fx-83/85GT CW.

There’s a lot more to explore within our resources centre, including a large collection of ‘how to’ guides, leaflets and more, so be sure to take a look and see what could be of use to you.

Keep an eye on the Casio Education blog

We regularly update our blog with new content designed to help and educate users of all of our devices, from entry-level scientific calculators to our most advanced handset, the fx-CG50 graphic calculator.

In 2023, for example, we posted articles on topics including making the most of the new ClassWiz range, available training and support, and calculator tips from a senior examiner.

All of the content we post is informed by experts, including teachers, mathematicians and Casio trainers. Check our blog regularly to ensure you’re not missing out on some useful insights and resources.

Get in touch

We want to ensure that all schools, teachers and students using our devices are benefiting from them as much as possible.

That’s why we encourage users to get in touch with us, so we can answer your questions, offer advice and engage in conversations. As well as helping you get the best out of your calculators, this helps us ensure our products are constantly improving and adapting to schools’ evolving needs. Head to our contact us page for details on how you can call or email us, or alternatively leave an online message and we’ll