Coming back to this because I remember being in the exact same spot. Honestly, if you want something that handles the heavy lifting of advanced calculus without breaking the bank, you gotta check out Wolfram Alpha Pro Student Mobile App. It is basically the gold standard for math and engineering students. Unlike ChatGPT which can literally make up numbers, Wolfram actually calculates the logic. The app usually has a small one-time cost instead of a monthly sub if you buy the mobile version, which is way better for a student budget. It handles nasty integrals and derivatives easily and the step-by-step breakdown is very reliable. I also use Photomath Plus Monthly Subscription when I am feeling lazy about typing. It scans handwriting really well and explains the rules behind each move. These two saved my grade last semester, no complaints at all.

To add to the point above: I have been super satisfied using Microsoft Math Solver App for iOS and Android lately. It is free and works well for most calc problems. Just be careful tho, sometimes these AI tools hallucinate steps if the problem is too weird. Quick tip: always cross-reference the logic with your class notes. Are you guys currently stuck on limits or have you moved into derivative rules?

Calculus is a total beast, especially after a long break from math. I totally get the brain mush feeling lol. Ive spent way too much time trying to find apps that actually explain the why instead of just spitting out a random number. In my experience, the absolute king for college level calculus is WolframAlpha Pro Premium Subscription. Its basically what all the engineering students use to survive. It handles derivatives and those nasty integrals like nothing else. I think the student pricing is around 5 or 10 bucks a month, so it fits your budget perfectly. If you want something thats a bit more user friendly for phone usage, I have used Symbolab Math Solver Plus over the years and it really saved my life in Calc II. Its awesome because it breaks down every single algebraic move so you can actually follow along. Photomath is okay for some stuff, but for advanced community college courses, you really want something with more horsepower. ChatGPT is honestly pretty risky for math because it hallucinates numbers sometimes... basically it makes stuff up that looks right but is totally wrong. Stick to dedicated math engines that use actual logic. Most of these have solid mobile apps so you can just snap a pic while youre on the bus. Youre gonna do fine, calculus is just a new language you gotta learn one step at a time. Feel free to ask if you get stuck on a specific topic!