The world’s very first commercial graphing calculator was released in 1985: the Casio fx-700G. Interestingly it was still called a scientific calculator at that time. It could do all that a standard scientific calculator could do, but it could also draw graphs and was easily programmed using a form of BASIC. The big hardware difference was that it had a “graphics” screen – larger and more pixels than a scientific calculator and so it could display more lines of text and display images, like graphs.
It took some years before it was assumed that students had access to this type of mathematics technology in external mathematics examinations in some Australian states. Victoria was the first state to make such a move followed by Western Australia, in the mid 1990s. New South Wales has never allowed graphing calculators to be used in external mathematics examinations (as of 2022).
The first model to be adopted in Australia was the Casio CFX-9850. Somewhat radically it was equipped with a three-colour screen. For its time, it was a powerful machine. It was able to do all that a scientific calculator could do but could also be used to analyse data, draw simple statistical plots (histograms and boxplots, for example), solve equations, run programs, create graphs that could be traced and analysed by calculating the graphs intercepts, slope at a point and so much more.
During the 1990s several states saw the potential value in mandating a tool like the Casio CFX-9850, mainly because it was a tool that could be used to explore mathematical ideas, test conjectures, discover interesting facts via experimentation and so on. It was small, light, easily powered and relatively cheap; it was most things computers of the day were not.
By the early 2000s most students in Australia were experimenting with graphing calculators. The Casio CFX-9850 was very popular. Soon, however, evolution ensured a new model, and the Casio fx-9860 series was born, no colour! Shortly after the Casio fx-9860 AU was born, a graphing calculator specifically for the needs of Australian exam authorities. Evolution continued, mainly on the hardware front and Casio fx-CG50 AU was born. Colour was back, and very much appreciated.
The Casio fx-CG50 AU is a very intuitive machine to use and provides many students with great service to this day.