Product Recommendations
Note: The following product recommendations contain affiliate links. If you purchase any of these items through these links, a small portion of the proceeds will go to the Mathquarium, for no additional cost to the consumer. There are many other ways that you can aquire these resources, often at a reduced price. For example, I have found graphing calculators at thrift stores and at yard sales in the past - with varying levels of success.
Mathquarium's Favorite Calculators
Graphing Calculators
| Calculator | Details | Links to Purchase | |
|---|---|---|---|
TI-84 Plus Color Edition 
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The TI-84 Color Edition is our top recommended calculator for high school and college math students. It has the most functionality of the TI-83/84 line of calculators. We have found it to be intuitive to use – with lots of resources online for those who struggle with the interface. We also like that it is rechargeable. | TI-84CE at Amazon | |
TI-84 Plus
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If you are looking for a slightly less expensive calculator from this family with most of the functionality of the color edition, you can’t go wrong with the TI-84 Plus calculator. | TI-84 Plus at Amazon | |
TI-NSPIRE
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The TI-Nspire series is also very good. I like the menu driven system. If you are an independent learner, this might be your top choice. However, the TI-83/84 family has been around longer. In my experience, more teachers and professors are familiar with the TI-84. Therefore, if your course is recommending the TI-84 series, I would stick with that. | TI-NSPIRE at Amazon |
Scientific Calculators
| Calculator | Details | Links to Purchase | |
|---|---|---|---|
TI-36X Pro 
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Our favorite scientific calculator is the TI-36X Pro. It is intuitive and easy to use. You can even do regression analysis using this calculator! | TI-36X Pro at Amazon | |
TI-30SX 
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The TI-30SX is very similar to the TI-36X pro, with slightly less functionality. It would work great for most high school students through Algebra II. | TI-30SX at Amazon |
Mathquarium's Recommended Reading
| Book | Description | Links to Purchase | |
|---|---|---|---|
Fermat’s Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World’s Greatest Mathematical Problem 
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This is a wonderful story all about a proof that eluded mathematicians for centuries. | Buy at Amazon | |
The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bayes’ Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant from Two Centuries of Controversy 
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This is a facinating account of the history of the cotroversy over Bayesian statistical methods– as well as some poignant examples of how the Bayesian approach has been indepensibly useful for solving some of the most challenging problems over time. | Buy at Amazon | |
The Calculus Diaries: How Math Can Help You Lose Weight, Win in Vegas, and Survive a Zombie Apocalypse 
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This charming book by the self proclaimed math-phobic science writer – chronicles her year long journey to learn the math that she avoided. She is funny, snarky, and informative. | Buy at Amazon | |
Calculus and Pizza: A Cookbook for the Hungry Mind 
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A short but useful companion for your Calculus textbook | Buy at Amazon | |
The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic–and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World 
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A facinating book that will appeal to those who enjoy mysteries. | Buy at Amazon | |
Schrodinger’s cat : quantum physics and reality 
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An accessible introduction to quantum mechanics. | Buy at Amazon |