The unstoppable TI-84 Plus: How an outdated calculator still holds a monopoly on classrooms

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1. TI-84

is the highest end calculator allowed on the ACT. That alone is a compelling reason for its popularity. A properly programmed calculator can mean 3-5 points for a marginal student in math (my assessment knowing its capabilities and prepping my daughters for the ACT). It also pushes the highest end for many classrooms (for example my daughter could use it for Calculus I and II, but not a TI-89).

The question becomes why doesn't a low end producer enter the market with a $40 version. One reason is that they might not get the approvals associated with a TI-84. In a sense TI has a monopoly on several big markets.