Introduction to the TI-84 Plus and TI-83 Plus Calculator
The TI-83 Plus, TI-83 Plus Silver Edition, TI-84 Plus, and TI-84 Plus Silver
Edition have exactly the same keystrokes. The TI-83 Plus Silver Edition has more
memory and is faster than the TI-83 Plus. The TI-84 Plus has three times the
memory of the TI-83 Plus. The TI-84 Plus Silver Edition has nine times the
memory of the TI-83 Plus and is two and one half times faster than the TI-83 Plus.
The TI-84 Plus family came on the market in the summer of 2004. All of the
TI-84 Plus family have a built in USB port. Using the TI Connect Software, you
may download images from the calculator to a computer. Students may also link
the TI-84 Plus family of calculators to another calculator.
Some students will have the TI-83 calculator. Some keystrokes will be
different from the TI-83 Plus especially in the FINANCE chapters. (See chapter 12
notes for accessing the FINANCE key on the TI-83.)
For more information on the TI-84 family of calculators, visit Texas
Instruments home page for calculators at:
http://education.ti.com/educationportal/
Fraction Reference Sheet for TI-84 and TI-83 family of calculators
The TI- 84 and TI-83 family of calculators do not have the a
b
button on them. To enter a
c
simple fraction or an improper fraction into the TI-84 or TI-83, use the  key.
Example: To enter
2
do the following:
3
2  3 MATH FRAC ENTER
2/3 should appear on the display screen.
If you enter 2  3 without pressing MATH FRAC ENTER , your answer will be
displayed as a decimal. Even after the decimal appears on the screen, you may still press
MATH FRAC ENTER to see the fraction answer. You do not have to clear the screen
and reenter the values.
To add, subtract, multiply, or divide simple fractions or improper fractions, enter each fraction as
in the above example with the correct operation ( +, -, x,  ) between the fractions. Put ( )
around the fractions. You do not have to get a common denominator for the addition or
subtraction problems.
Example:
5 1

12 6
( 5  12 )  ( 1  6 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
You should see 1/4 on the display screen. Notice this answer is in reduced form. The TI-84 and
TI-83 will always give the answer in reduced form.
Example:
2 5

3 8
( 2  3 )  ( 5  8 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
The display screen has 31/24 as the answer. Notice the answer is an improper fraction, not a
mixed number. You will need to change the answer to a mixed number by hand (hint use
division). The TI-84 and TI-83 will never display the answer as a mixed number.
31
=
24
31
 24 =
1
7
24
5 11

8 5
Example:
( 5  8 )  ( 11  5 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
The display screen has 11/8 as the answer. You will need to change this answer to a mixed
number by hand (hint use division). The TI-84 and TI-83 will never display the answer as a
mixed number.
11
=
8
1
3
8
There are two ways that you can perform operations with mixed numbers on the TI-84 and TI-83
calculator.
Method I. Enter the mixed numbers as mixed numbers by using the fact that a mixed number is
a whole number plus a simple fraction.
To enter a mixed number, put the whole number plus the simple fraction inside parenthesis.
To enter 14
2
into the TI-84 and TI-83, do the following: ( 14  2  3 ) .
3
To add, subtract, multiply or divide mixed numbers, enter each mixed number as shown above
with the operation sign between the numbers.
Example: 1
1
2
3
3
2
( 1  2  3 )  ( 3  1  2 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
35/6 is now displayed on the screen. You will need to change this number to a mixed number by
hand (hint use division). The answer is 5
5
.
6
1
9
Example: 5  16
8
11
( 5  1  8 )  ( 16  9  11 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
1931/88 is now displayed on the screen. You will need to change this number to a mixed number
83
by hand (hint use division). The answer is 21 .
88
Method II. Before entering the numbers into the calculator, change the mixed numbers to
improper fractions and enter the improper fractions into the calculator.
Example: 1
2 1
3
3
2
Change 1
2
5
to
3
3
Change 3
1 7
to
2 2
( 5  3 )  ( 7  2 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
35/6 is on the display. You will need to change this number to a mixed number by hand (hint use
division). The answer is
Example:
2
5 1
1
8 4
Change 2
5 21
to
8
8
5
5
.
6
Change 1
1
5
to
4
4
( 21  8 )  ( 5  4 ) MATH FRAC ENTER
21/10 is on the display. You will need to change this number to a mixed number by hand (hint
use division). The answer is 2
1
.
10
When the answers are “messy” improper fractions, the calculator can assist in changing the
improper fraction into a mixed number. Enter the problem as before, but do not press MATH
FRAC ENTER . Just press ENTER . This will give the decimal equivalent to the answer.
Then subtract the whole number part from this decimal value. Now press MATH FRAC
ENTER .
Example:
( 14  8  10 )  ( 13  137  200 ) MATH FRAC ENTER = 5697/200
Instead just enter the mixed numbers and then press ENTER .
( 14  8  10 )  ( 13  137  200 ) ENTER . The decimal answer will appear.
Answer: 28.485
Since 28 is the whole number part of the answer, subtract 28 when 28.485 is displayed on the
screen. Then type MATH FRAC ENTER . This will give 97/200.
The final answer is 28
97
.
200
Warning: This method will not always work. Sometimes the calculator will not convert the
decimal to a fraction, so you must still know how to change an improper fraction to a mixed
number by hand!
Practice:
1.)
7 1

8 9
2.)
3 1

5 9
3.)
1 2
*
12 5
4.)
2 1

5 8
5.)
1 5 1
 
5 8 4
1
4
6.) 9  7
2
5
7.)
3
* 200
4
8) 9  5
3
9.) 9  5 =
8
3
8
Answers to Practice:
7
1
71
8
9
72
1.) ( ) + ( ) MATH FRAC ENTER
3
1
22
5
9
45
2.) ( ) - ( ) MATH FRAC ENTER
1
2
3.) ( ) x ( ) MATH FRAC ENTER
12
5
1
30
2
1
16
5
8
5
4.) ( ) ÷ ( ) MATH FRAC ENTER
answer to a mixed number. = 3
1
Student must divide to change the
5
1
5
1
43
5
8
4
40
5.) ( ) + ( ) + ( ) MATH FRAC ENTER
answer to a mixed number. = 1
1
3
Student must divide to change the
40
4
6.) (9 + ) + (7 + ) MATH FRAC ENTER
2
5
the answer to a mixed number. = 17
3
173
10
Student must divide to change
10
3
7.) ( ) x 200 MATH FRAC ENTER = 150
4
3
8.) 9 - (5 + ) MATH FRAC ENTER =
8
answer to a mixed number. = 3
5
29
8
8
3
35
8
8
9.) (9 + ) - 5 MATH FRAC ENTER =
answer to a mixed number. = 4
Student must divide to change the
3
8
Student must divide to change the
Word Problems
1.) Pete Rowe bought a new hand-held computer at Circuit City for $399. The manufacturer
1
offers a rebate of off the selling price. How much did Pete pay after the rebate?
3
2.) Brian Summers visited Gold’s Gym and lost 2
and
1
3
pounds in week 1, 1 pounds in week 2,
4
4
5
pound in week 3. What is the total weight loss for Brian?
8
1
1
1
3.) Lester bought a piece of property. The sides of the land measure 115 feet, 66 feet, 106
4
2
8
1
feet, and 110 feet. Calculate the perimeter of the property.
4
4.) A company bought 90 pizzas for their Fourth of July celebration. Each guest ate
1
of a pizza.
6
If there was no left over pizza, how many guest attended the celebration?
3
gallons of gas per month to Jerry’s Service Station. The first week,
4
1
1
1
Jerry sold 275 gallons; second week, 280 gallons; and third week, 189 gallons. If Jerry
2
4
8
1
sells 582 gallons in the fourth week, how close is Jerry to selling his allocation?
2
5.) Mobil allocates 1, 692