Spare calculator batteries for exams?

[RedskyThisNight]

Maybe a stupid question ...

When I was sitting public exams back in the dark ages, we had it drummed into us that we must take a spare of everything into the exam room and this also included spare calculator batteries.

However, when I mentioned spare calculator batteries to my DC they both looked at me as if I were bonkers. DS also pointed out you need a screwdriver to unfasten the battery case on his calculator and it looks like it is extremely securely attached, so we're not actually sure we can get it off anyway. And he certainly wouldn't be wanting to do it in the middle of an exam.

Am I overthinking/worrying? or is this just not a "thing" any more?

Are they not solar powered now?

As a teacher this is not something that I have ever thought about, nor was it something that ever came up for me when sitting my own exams almost 2 decades ago. Are these public exams as in GCSEs and sat in school? In which case we always have spares in the event of emergency (although I have literally never known it happen). I suppose if it was a concern and it wasn't a school based exam I might take a spare calculator rather than spare batteries as I wouldnt want to be wasting time changing batteries in an exam, but as I say, it's literally never occurred to me as being an issue.

I don't remember this ever being an issue and I did A level maths with a graphing calculator!

Spare calculator, surely

A malfunction/dropping and breaking it is about as likely as a sudden battery failure. (You normal get weeks of warning of normal power dropping as the display fades)

I have one taking GCSEs and one taking A Levels. And at least one session where they both have calculator needing exams in the same time slot.

I guess spare calculator may be the way to go ... but DS's A Level calculator cost £30 which is quite a lot to spend on a thing that might never be used. Possibly the answer is for him to borrow one from a Year 12 student.

If their calculator fails, why can't they fall back and use a slide rule and log tables?

@LIZS

Are they not solar powered now?

ok, so now I feel a total idiot. Read the spec of DS's calculator, and it is "solar powered with battery back up".

So, actually really a total non issue. And explains why it looks well nigh impossible to break into the battery compartment.

Oh well, possibly I have helped someone else with this thread :)

@Ifailed

If their calculator fails, why can't they fall back and use a slide rule and log tables?

... although I may suggest this to DS, just to see his reaction

I don't remember this from when I sat GCSEs (1996) but mine was solar powered too.

@RedskyThisNight

I have one taking GCSEs and one taking A Levels. And at least one session where they both have calculator needing exams in the same time slot.

I guess spare calculator may be the way to go ... but DS's A Level calculator cost £30 which is quite a lot to spend on a thing that might never be used. Possibly the answer is for him to borrow one from a Year 12 student.

I mean, the most sensible thing to do if this is a huge concern is just to replace the batteries before an exam rather than pissing about with a spare calculator!

I changed the batteries before DSvdid his GCSEs

any exam officers worth their salt will have spare calculators ready to hand out. I have heard of calculators running out of battery in the middle of exams but it caused no issue whatsoever.

@Ifailed

If their calculator fails, why can't they fall back and use a slide rule and log tables?

In the same way that if the car you're going to take your driving test in has a puncture, you don't sit it in a tractor instead.

There will be spare calculators in the exam hall.

I've had my calculator since university multiple decades ago and I've never changed the batteries, it's really not a thing

We're on our 6th set of GCSE/A level, and I have never given this a thought...

I still have the calculator I used for my GCSEs 25 years ago. My brother used it for his too and he’s 7 years older than me. It looks like crap, but the battery still works just fine and I’m pretty sure it’s never been changed.

Red I went through the same angst when Dd1 did her GCSEs a few years back, as her calculator wasn't solar but didn't have easy battery change (unlike my trusty fx-82). It definitely was 'a thing' when I did O levels, A levels and Maths degree so you aren't daft.

I thought they are all solid powered?

Solar !!

Lol, when I did O levels back in 1984, my best mate's calculator (non solar powered) did run out of battery. She put up her hand and asked for some log tables to complete the exam. We weren't even allowed to use calculators until AFTER the mock exams so we were well drilled in using log tables, although not slide rules.

Both DDs have done GCSE and A level Maths & FM and both have had to do some Maths as part of their degree. Neither has had an issue with batteries, presumably due to better battery technology plus solar power.

My O levels (1982) we had access to log books. Interestingly I was never taught how to use a slide rule, though DB 2 years older was.