Best College Math Supplies
By Kathleen Cantor, 10 Aug 2021
Despite common education myths, Math is one of the most interactive subjects. And many students actually have fun learning it—even at the college level. But when it's time to go to your first college stats class, you want to be prepared with all the tools and supplies you would need to make this semester a success. By the time you get to college, you know every single thing you need after a lifetime of learning math, right?
Not so much.
Don't stress! Use the list below as a checklist before you get too far into the semester. We've sampled the best college math supplies to make your learning experience fun and seamless.
Our List of the Best College Math Supplies
Quadrille Ruled Paper
A quadrille notebook will make you feel like a senior in your learning journey. The quadrille is a specially ruled notebook commonly used by college students, engineers, architects, and other professionals. Unlike wide-ruled paper with an 11/32" spacing between the lines, this one has a 9/32" spacing. The quadrille has more lines per page, with a smaller space between them.
The quadrille ruled paper is ideal for taking some notes, drawing, and graphing. The quadrille notebook takes in more notes per page than regular notebooks.
College-Specific Math Flashcards
One of the best learning hacks to this day is still whipping out those flashcards to improve your understanding and memory. There are flashcards for practically every discipline in mathematics. They cover everything from functions, formulas, and equations to derivatives, graphs, and a whole lot more. They also give you the meanings and definitions of mathematical terms on the back of the cards.
A box of flashcards contains 4 1/2" x 2 3/4" cards, and each has a punch hole at the top right corner. The hole has a key ring attached. The ring makes it easy to carry the cards without losing any of them. You could even attach your keys to the ring as a key holder and take them with you to study on the go before that midterm.
We recommend Barron's Test Prep flashcards or The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review only has mathematics flashcards, but Barron's Test Prep flashcards are available in different subjects like history and biology. Get them for your other classes or gift them to that roommate who's struggling with pre-calc.
Scientific and Graphing Calculators
There are different types of calculators out there, and each type is designed to perform a specific function. The simple calculator you used in high school probably won't stand up to a more advanced college Math class.
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Still, it's smart to keep both a scientific and a graphing calculator on hand. For scientific calculators, the Casio FX-300MS Plus2 is a great option. It performs complex calculations using equations. You can use this for fractions, algebra, calculus, exponents, logarithms, trigonometry, and geometry. This would be a great choice for a Math Literacy, Basic College Alegra, or a Math for the Real World course.
But if you plan on taking Math courses beyond those, make sure you have a graphic calculator for advanced calculations. We highly recommend the TI-83 Plus or the TI-84 Plus. A graphing calculator performs all the functions of a scientific calculator, but it has added functions like the ability to calculate matrices and integral calculus. The name 'graphing' also implies that the calculator produces graphs in its output. Just remember that these often require batteries and a data transfer cord, so add that to your shopping list.
Supplementary Texts
Aside from the obnoxiously large textbook your professor will require you to buy (you know, the one that makes absolutely no sense), there are lots of books out there to support college Math students. They have in-depth and more straightforward explanations of examples, definitions, theorems, and proofs you'll encounter during the semester.
An example of a book that you might love is the Elementary Abstract Algebra: Examples and Applications by Justin Hill and Chris Thron. The book is designed for college students studying to become High School Math teachers. Hill and Thron found that commonly assigned abstract algebra texts can be unclear for students and could affect how they pass down the information in their later roles.
The authors created a book that students could use to study by themselves and better understand the concepts reviewed. But this text is helpful for all college math students. You can read it online, in a PDF format, or as a hard copy. It contains 20 math topics, explained and illustrated with easy-to-understand examples.
Measure, Integration & Real Analysis (FREE) is written by Sheldon Axler from the San Francisco State University. The book is available in both PDF and hard copy, but the eBook is FREE. It covers 12 critical topics in mathematics, including differentiation, Reinmann integration, and probability measures. The content of the book is taught in most first-year graduate courses across American universities.
Academic Planners
No matter how organized you think you are, you're going to need a college academic planner to help you stay on top of the semester. This is especially critical if you struggle to get motivated. Having a planner to lay out everything you've got to do in a day, a week, or a month springs you into action. You'll be more conscious of your time and more productive.
You could get a Dated Paperage Academic Planner. It has a section that indicates the date and a space underneath it in which you should write your to-do list. Get down to the details and jot down what to get done in between classes. Use this to keep track of the goals you want to achieve.
We also really like the Academic Smart Undated Planner. While it's up to you to fill in the dates and class schedule for that day, it's sectioned out for your to-do list and goals. You can also track logins, grades, and assignments. It even gives you space to practice gratitude, self-evaluation, and positive affirmations. You may end up preferring the undated planner because of its versatility. And if you don't fill it up in one academic year, you could use it in your next semester.
The Best College Math Supplies: Final Thoughts
Your college learning experience should be a breeze if you get all the tools you need. Use it as a shopping guide so you don't miss any essential items you need for your math classes. Once you're in college, don't forget to use Interactive Mathematics as reliable a study companion. We help students enjoy mathematics better by exploring concepts in a way that students can understand and enjoy.
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