College Calculator?

<p>Quick question: What kind of Calculator will i need for college. I will be a business student and i have a TI-84 graphing calculator. Will i need something special like a Ti-89? Thanks!</p>

<p>It depends on the classes you have to take. If your only math class are the core classes that everyone has to take, then go ahead and buy those cheap scientific calculators because you don’t need a fancy one. If you have the money to spurge, go ahead and buy those graphing calculators. They cost about 100 bucks and maybe higher if you buy name brand like Texas Instruments.</p>

<p>All the math courses I have taken in college, both upper division and lower division, do not allow calculators. If that is the case get a ti-89 so it allows you to check your work easier. Also the price difference between a ti-84 and ti-89 is only 30-40 bucks, but the ti-89 does so much more and is easier to use imo (I have the ti-83, ti-84, and ti-89).</p>

<p>Most classes won’t allow a TI-89…that said I have one for homework as above poster mentioned. While many college classes don’t allow graphing calculators, it depends on the course and instructor so I have a TI-84 as well, and also a cheap scientific calculator when those are allowed.</p>

<p>If you are a business student there is no need for a TI-89 as the only math classes your are going to take probably won’t allow it, or won’t allow any calculator. Ti-89 is primarily science and engineering when you need to check some extensive calculation or solve a PDE, or something like that</p>

<p>I’m an engineering major…for any math class, I’ve never been allowed to use any graphing calculator.</p>

<p>For any engineering class, I’ve never actually needed one.</p>

<p>But the TI-89 is very nice, as it does a lot of work for you. Especially in calc, when I didn’t feel like evaluating all of the integrals by hand, it was nice. Counterproductive, but I understood the material anyway.</p>

<p>I use the TI89 during tests to save precious time. This allows for double-checking and triple-checking, something that would be impractical with a cheap scientific calculator. If it catches even one careless error, those are precious points that can be saved in case one completely gaffes elsewhere.</p>

<p>At this time, I wish to eulogise my old TI89, who served me faithfully for ten years before dying while solving a three-equation, three-variable problem.</p>

<p>Highschoolerr,</p>

<p>Take the TI-84 that you already own with you to college. If you take a class that specifically needs another type of calculator, buy it at that time rather than trying to anticipate what you may need.</p>

<p>Depending on the college you are at, you may find math profs ban all calculators, ban graphing calculators, or require a TI-84 for college algebra, trig, pre-calculus, and maybe the calculus courses. A few places will require a TI-89 instead. But wait to upgrade until you are told to upgrade. Profs in other math-intensive courses (some econ, much engineering, some chemisty, etc) may require or allow scientific calculators, but not graphing ones on their in-class tests.</p>