BA II Plus Calculator Online — TVM Simulator & Keystroke Guide
Who this is for: For students who haven't bought (or forgot to bring) a BA II Plus and want to learn or rehearse the TVM keystrokes — storing registers, CPT-ing the unknown, and the sign convention — in a browser.
Not the right tool for: Exam use — proctors require the approved physical device; no websites in the room · The real calculator's worksheets — BGN, AMORT, CF/NPV/IRR, STAT, depreciation and the 2nd layer are not simulated
A simplified on-screen BA II Plus: the N / I/Y / PV / PMT / FV registers, CPT, and the same TVM engine — for learning the keystrokes, not for exam day.
Quick answer: The BA II Plus solves TVM with five registers and a two-step pattern: store four knowns (number, then register key), then CPT the unknown. 30 N, 8 I/Y, 0 PV, 1000 ± PMT, CPT FV → 113,283.21. This page is an unofficial simulator of that TVM row — exams require the physical device.
N
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I/Y
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PV
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PMT
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FV
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Ready
0
Type a number, press a register to store it. Press CPT, then the unknown's register.
Simplified simulator of the TVM row — the real BA II Plus also has BGN mode, CF/NPV/IRR and AMORT worksheets, statistics, and a 2nd-function layer, none of which are reproduced here. Unofficial; not affiliated with Texas Instruments.
The real Texas Instruments BA II Plus solves TVM through five registers — N, I/Y, PV, PMT, FV — and a two-keystroke compute pattern: store the four knowns (type a number, then press the register key), then press CPT and the register of the unknown. This simulator reproduces that muscle memory on the same engine: 30 N, 8 I/Y, 0 PV, 1000 ± PMT, then CPT FV returns 113,283.21 — matching the handheld to the cent, because it's the same END-mode equation. What it deliberately doesn't replicate: BGN mode, the CF/NPV/IRR and AMORT worksheets, statistics, depreciation, and the second-function layer. It's a practice tool for the TVM row and the CPT rhythm — bring the physical device to the exam, because proctors require it.
Common uses
Learning the store-then-CPT keystroke pattern before touching a real unit
Checking homework answers when the calculator is in the other bag
Demonstrating the sign convention live: why PMT is entered ±
All results are computed in your browser from the standard closed-form formulas (and a numerical root-finder where no closed form exists — rates, IRR, YTM). Formulas follow the ordinary-annuity (END) convention used by the BA II Plus and HP 12C. Educational reference only — not investment, tax, or accounting advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this an official BA II Plus?
No. This is an unofficial educational simulator with simplified keys; it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Texas Instruments. The real calculator has many more functions — this covers the TVM row only.
Can I use this in the CFA or an exam?
No — exams require the approved physical device (BA II Plus or HP 12C family). Use this simulator to learn the keystrokes; use the handheld where it counts.
How do I store a value into a register?
Type the number (digits, ± for negative), then press the register key: N, I/Y, PV, PMT, or FV. The register table above the keypad shows what's stored. To compute, press CPT then the key of the unknown.
Why do I have to press ± for the payment?
Because payments are money out of your pocket. Saving $1,000 a year means PMT = −1,000, and FV comes back positive. Skipping the sign flip is the single most common wrong answer in TVM homework — the simulator gives the same wrong-looking result a real BA II Plus would, which is the lesson.
Does it match the real calculator's results?
On TVM problems, yes — same equation, same END mode: the $113,283.21 future value above matches a BA II Plus to displayed precision. Features beyond the TVM row (worksheets, BGN, statistics) aren't simulated at all.