Casio FX-83GTX Scientific Calculator, Black

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There’s no S-D button for simple conversion of results between fractions and decimals. The answer always defaults to a fraction, and to get it into decimal format you have to either (a) press FORMAT, use the arrow keys to select the preferred format and press OK or EXE, or (b) press Shift then EXE to get a decimal approximation (i.e. rounded decimal form) – but the latter option will only work correctly if pressing EXE doesn’t prompt the calculator to carry out another calculation. Remember I mentioned that a graphical calculator is much more complex to operate than a scientific one? The CW models have narrowed that gap considerably – and not in a good way! The standard GCSE model in the UK for the past seven or eight years has been the Casio Classwiz fx-83/85GT X (centre in the image), though in early 2023 Casio brought out the fx-83/85GT CW, which is very different and which has replaced the GT X (despite a poor reception from UK Maths teachers). More on that in this blog post.

When the new specifications came in, Casio brought out new upgraded calculators called the Classwiz series. The GCSE model was the Classwiz fx 83/85GT X, and included a few extra features that the GT Plus didn’t have, although the GT Plus was (and is) still perfectly adequate for GCSE. A significant addition to Casio’s scientific calculators is the Function key, which offers the ability to define two functions as before, but also to manipulate and evaluate these functions in several different modes. Crucially, the design and key layout of the updated fx-83/85GT CW and fx-991 CW models is identical, with only a few differences in labelling. The fx-991 CW is the minimum requirement for A-level maths, so students making the step up in year 12 will benefit from already being familiar with the fx-83/85GT CW.The Format key is another useful improvement to the ClassWiz range, replacing the S↔D (standard to decimal) button found on previous handsets. If you have the older GT Plus then it will still do everything you need for GCSE, so don’t worry about that! This functionality was available on previous handsets, but only accessible through a sequence of different key presses. The Format key brings it all together in one place. As well as making life easier and enabling more intuitive learning for students, this can be a big classroom time-saver for teachers. Gone are the days of having to explain how certain functions are accessed through a sequence of key presses. Now, you can encourage students to delve into the menu and see what they can find for themselves. Casio describes the fx-83GT CW as “the new upgraded version of the Casio fx-83GT X” and the fx-991CW as “the new upgraded version of the Casio fx-991 EX”. That seems misleading to me, when the models are so completely different. It would be far more honest to call them “the replacement for” their predecessors.

As I mentioned previously, lots of functions – too many to list here – now require more key presses than they did before. A particularly annoying one is nCr (to calculate the number of combinations of r items chosen from a set of n – used in binomial expansion and the binomial probability distribution). Previously it was the Shift function above the ÷ key, but now it takes the following series of key presses to get to the same place:

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Casio’s recommendation for GCSE students who have not yet adopted graphing technology is the fx-991 CW, while year 7 students will find all the functionality they need on the fx-83/85GT CW.

While GCSE classes will get the most out of these devices in terms of functionality, year 7 students can also use the basic calculator features of the ClassWiz range and explore the more advanced tools at their own pace. The A-level models have additional functions such as solving quadratics and simultaneous equations which can be useful at GCSE too, as well as Statistics functions that you don’t need until A-level. So if there’s any chance of you continuing with Maths beyond GCSE then it’s a worthwhile investment. (You’ll probably need it if you do Core Maths too, though it does depend on which board and which modules you study. It – or an equivalent – is certainly required for the Statistical Techniques option on the AQA spec.) It’s also worth considering an A-level model, especially if you’re doing the Higher Tier and there’s a possibility that you might continue to study Maths in some form beyond GCSE.If you require any further information relating to the Delivery service used, please call us at +44 (0)20 8208 9567. This lets students discover their calculator in a way that they will already be familiar with from other electronic devices that have menu structures. Once they know that every feature is either labelled on the keys as before or listed in the new menu, students can freely explore their device to see what it can do. Until the current GCSE and A-level specifications came in (2015 and 2017 respectively), the standard calculator in most English schools for both GCSE and A-level for a good few years had been the Casio fx-83GT Plus – or the fx-85GT Plus, which was exactly the same except that it had a solar panel as well as battery power.