Buy a Calculator
The first step in buying a calculator is identifying your needs. If your teacher has recommended a certain model of calculator, do your best to comply. After all, he or she probably has a lot more experience with calculators than you do.
I have always been a fan of Texas Instruments' calculators, primarily because they are the most popular among students, ensuring compatibility with your classmates and teachers. These calculators can be purchased at most large electronics and office-supply stores, or you can buy one online from Amazon.com. In fact, you can help support FreeMathHelp.com by buying your calculators through these Amazon.com links:
You have probably been told what type of calculator, scientific or graphing, that you will need. If you need a graphing calculator, skip this paragraph and keep reading. For scientific calculators, you basically have a number of products that all do the same things. My favorite used to be the TI-36x for its features and ease of use, but for a little more money you can now buy a TI-34II Explorer Plus. The 34 offers a two-line display so you can see what you typed as well as the answer, and is the best in scientific calculators.
Graphing calculators are a little more difficult, and more expensive, to buy. A good calculator will probably cost you at least $100, but you may be able to rent, buy used, or even borrow from your school library. The TI-84+ is a good calculator for algebra and geometry, and is a newer version of the ever-popular TI-83+. For about $135 you can buy a TI-89 Titanium
You may be leaning towards a calculator from one of the other brands, like Casio or HP, and some of those are even more powerful than a TI-89. The key, though, is that most American students use TI's, and they are the easiest to use. And I'll say it again -- check with your teachers, even those you won't have for 2-3 years, before you or your parents plunk down $100 for a "cool looking" calculator that your teachers don't like.
