<p>Hello, I'm about to start my freshman year at TAMU and I'm an engineering student. </p>
<p>I'm looking to order a new graphing calculator that'll be useful for my classes.</p>
<p>My trusty TI-86 got me through high school and was a very useful calculator. However, after doing some Calculus tutoring this summer, one of the kids I taught noticed it was slowly but surely dying. =( Although it's a sad end to TI-86, it'll be a nice new start for whatever I end up getting.</p>
<p>I feel like the majority of my classes will require some calculator work this semester as I'm taking MATH 251, PHYS 218, CHEM 107, and ENGR 111. So for any of you guys that have recommendations, please let me know!</p>
<p>Thanks for your time.</p>
<p>My son is an engineering major and uses the TI-89. He’s on his second one only because the first one was stolen from his dorm room during his freshman year. He’s starting his senior year this fall and it still meets his calculating requirements.</p>
<p>S1 graduated 2011, S2 Senior, both have Ti-89 Titanium. They say something about graphing and calculus work’s much better with this calculator. It is kind of expensive, watch out for sale and should be available now right before Fall Semester / Quarter.</p>
<p>Just like the above posters, TI 89, enough said.</p>
<p>We got the TI89 Titanium few years ago. I recalled sons compared TI89 and TI89 Titanium; about memories, apps and speed. I also recalled they mentioned it did make a difference during long final exam. Since I am not an engineer (scientist instead), perhaps a visit to the Wikipedia will be a good idea. It does appear the Titanium is a newer version and slightly in favor by users. If cost is not an issue, go with the Titanium. You will use that for your entire college life.</p>
<p>[TI-89</a> series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-89_series]TI-89”>TI-89 series - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>I don’t have a TI89 but my friends do. It’s really useful for Aerospace and Mechanical from what I’ve heard. It can handle complex numbers which older calculators can’t and my friends said it saved them a lot of headaches on homework.</p>
<p>You won’t be using a calculator much in Math 251. It’s mainly workout problems. Definitely not for tests.</p>
<p>If I start with my TI-84 + Silver from my high school AP Calculus, will that do for the first semester to get me through Math 151?</p>
<p>you shouldn’t use a calculator for math 151 or 152</p>
<p>I had heard that about some of the college calculus classes, but am wondering-- does the no-calculator rule apply only when taking tests, or do they prohibit for homework too? And it starts even with the first class (151)?</p>
<p>A couple of messages back, Chaos says that about no calculator in 251, so which math classes do require a calculator and which type? Thanks.</p>
<p>First of all, you are going to see people using TI 89’s to finish there Calculus 1 and 2 homework in 5 minutes without fail. This is however, a failing mentality. You should not use a calculator for a math class your freshman year at all. Not for homework, and for sure not on exams will you get the opportunity. If you do need one, a scientific calculator cost 10 bucks and can do all the laborious arithmetic that you might possibly need to do. Don’t tempt yourself, because it will come back to bite you at the exam.</p>
<p>Math 251 to my understanding does not require a calculator. Math 308 uses a computer program to aid problem solving, maybe or maybe not need a calculator. So really, you are getting your calculator not for your math classes, but for your engineering and other science classes that might require it. And even for your first couple physics courses and chemistry, all you need is a cheap old scientific calculator. </p>
<p>If you are buying for the future, get the TI 89, but realize that you will be constantly fighting the temptation your whole freshman year in math. I watched too many people rely on this and wolfram alpha to believe that this is not a temptation to everyone including myself.</p>
<p>Regards from the guy who gave away his 89 after first semester and am better for doing so even if I didn’t make absolute 100%'s on every online homework.</p>
<p>TI-89’s should come with a warning label - mine got stolen too 
But I still love 'em.</p>