Home

Calculators for use in the General Mathematics 2013 HSC Examination

Please note that the 2013 General mathematics HSC examination is the last examination of the General mathematics (1999) course

Note : Information about the use of calculators in the first mathematics General 2 HSC examination 2014 can be found in Official Notice BOS 41/12

In General Mathematics 2013 HSC Examination, as in previous years, the approved list of scientific calculators does not apply. Students are permitted to use calculators, including graphics calculators.

Calculators must be handheld and silent in operation.
Permitted devices must be primarily calculators. For example, devices that include a calculator function among other ‘apps’ or which incorporate a qwerty keyboard are not permitted.
Calculators that also operate as communication devices are not permitted.
All memories and storage facilities must be cleared before the calculator is brought into the examination room (see below).
Memory cards or other peripheral devices must not be brought into the examination room.
Instruction booklets or cards (eg reference cards) on the operation of calculators are not permitted in the examination room. Candidates are expected to familiarise themselves with the calculators operation beforehand.

Clearing graphics calculators’ memories and storage facilities

As graphics calculators’ storage facilities are not cleared by switching them off, candidates intending to take such calculators into the examination room for the General Mathematics HSC Examination need to familiarise themselves with the steps involved in clearing their graphics calculators’ storage facilities.

The steps required to clear the storage facilities (reset) of commonly used Casio, Hewlett-Packard, Sharp and Texas Instruments graphics calculators are provided below:

Casio

The fx-7400G plus, fx-9850GB plus and fx-9860GAU plus calculators are reset by pressing the P button on the back of the calculator (the reset confirmation screen appears), and then pressing F1 (Yes) to reset the calculator.

Hewlett-Packard

The HP 38G, HP 39G and HP 40G calculators are reset by pressing and holding the ON key, the first and last (far left and far right) menu keys simultaneously, then releasing all keys.

Sharp

The EL-9600 and EL-9650 calculators are reset by pressing the reset switch on the back of the calculator, and then pressing the CL key.

Texas Instruments

The TI-82 is reset by pressing 2nd MEM (to display the memory screen), selecting 3:Reset and then 2:Reset.
The TI-83 is reset by pressing 2nd MEM, selecting 5:Reset, selecting 1:All memory and then 2:Reset.
The TI-83plus is reset by pressing 2nd MEM, selecting 7:Reset, selecting ‘all’, and then 2:Reset.
The TI-84plus is reset by pressing 2nd MEM(+), pressing 7 then 1, and then pressing 2 to clear all applications and memory.
The TI-Nspire CX is cleared by pressing C, then 2, then b and finally pressing C.
The TI-Nspire CX cas is cleared by pressing 'On' then from the 'Menu' selecting C:Delete All.