SAT Calculator Policy + List of Approved Calculators
On the SAT calculators are a valuable tool, and like any tool, they’re only as good as the person operating it. While all of the SAT’s math problems can be answered without electronic aid, a calculator can provide confidence and increase the speed with which you formulate answers—both huge advantages when taking a high-pressure, time-restricted test such as the SAT. However, there are some things to know about the SAT’s calculator policy, like when calculators are allowed, and what calculators are allowed.
Read on to learn more, plus get tips for acing the SAT Math No Calculator Section.
The SAT Calculator Policy
The SAT calculator policy allows test takers to use calculators on certain sections on the exam, but it doesn’t provide them. Rather, test takers need to provide their own machines, and are not permitted to share calculators. The SAT allows all scientific calculators, certain graphing calculators (see below for a comprehensive list of permitted graphing calculators), and doesn’t recommend students use four-function calculators—they lack important functions you might need on the test such as exponents and logarithms.
In general, SAT-approved calculators meet certain criteria, most notably, they run on batteries. The use of calculators with power cords is forbidden. And if your calculator features characters an inch or higher, or has a raised display—either of which will potentially allow other test takers to view your work—the test coordinator will assign you a seat.
According to the SAT calculator policy, other no-nos include models that have a QWERTY (computer-style) keypad or use a stylus—some touch-screen models such as the Casio ClassPad are also not permitted. Calculators with the internet, Bluetooth, and cellular functions are also not allowed, and neither are machines with cameras or other audio/video recording features. You’re also not allowed to use a laptop, tablet, smartphone, cell phone, smartwatch, or other wearable technology in place of a calculator.
The following graphing calculators are permitted for use on the SAT:
| Casio | Hewlett-Packard | Sharp | Texas Instruments | Radio Shack | Other |
| FX-6000 series | HP-9G | EL-5200 | TI-73 | EC-4033 | Datexx DS-883 |
| FX-6200 series | HP-28 series | EL-9200 series | TI-80 | EC-4034 | Micronta |
| FX-6300 series | HP-38G | EL-9300 series | TI-81 | EC-4037 | NumWorks |
| FX-6500 series | HP-39 series | EL-9600 series (use of the stylus is not permitted) | TI-82 | Smart2 | |
| FX-7000 series | HP-40 series | EL-9900 series | TI-83/TI-83 Plus | ||
| FX-7300 series | HP-48 series | TI-83 Plus Silver | |||
| FX-7400 series | HP-49 series | TI-84 Plus | |||
| FX-7500 series | HP-50 series | TI-84 Plus CE | |||
| FX-7700 series | HP Prime | TI-84 Plus Silver | |||
| FX-7800 series | TI-84 Plus C Silver | ||||
| FX-8000 series | TI-84 Plus CE-T | ||||
| FX-8500 series | TI-84 Plus T | ||||
| FX-8700 series | TI-85 | ||||
| FX-8800 series | TI-86 | ||||
| FX-9700 series | TI-89 | ||||
| FX-9750 series | TI-89 Titanium | ||||
| FX-9860 series | TI-Nspire | ||||
| CFX-9800 series | TI-Nspire CX | ||||
| CFX-9850 series | TI-Nspire CM-C | ||||
| CFX-9950 series | TI-Nspire CAS | ||||
| CFX-9970 series | TI-Nspire CX CAS | ||||
| FX 1.0 series | TI-Nspire CM-C CAS | ||||
| Algebra FX 2.0 series | TI-Nspire CX-C CAS | ||||
| FX-CG-10 | |||||
| FX-CG-20 series | |||||
| FX-CG-50 | |||||
| FX-CG-500 (use of the stylus is not permitted) | |||||
| Graph25 series | |||||
| Graph35 series | |||||
| Graph75 series | |||||
| Graph95 series | |||||
| Graph100 series |
Where Calculator Use is Permitted on the SAT
The intention of the SAT is not to disadvantage students from different backgrounds and income levels; because of this, a calculator is not needed to complete either of the Math sections. However, as stated earlier, the use of a calculator can eliminate doubt and increase the speed with which a student answers questions.
The SAT breaks the Math section into two parts: a 20-question, 25-minute No Calculator Section and a 38-question, 55-minute Calculator Section—in other words, test-takers can use a calculator for roughly two-thirds of the SAT’s Math Section. Test takers are only authorized to use a calculator on the Calculator portion of the Math section of the SAT, and they must clearly be put away when working on the No Calculator portion of the math test, as well as the Reading, Writing, and Language sections.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Allotted |
| Reading | 52 | 65 minutes |
| Break | – | 10 minutes |
| Writing and Language | 44 | 35 minutes |
| Math No Calculator | 20 | 25 minutes |
| Break | – | 5 minutes |
| Math Calculator | 38 | 55 minutes |
| Break | – | 2 minutes |
| Essay (optional) | 1 | 50 minutes |
| TOTAL | 4 hours 7 minutes |
SAT Math No Calculator Section Breakdown
The No Calculator Math Section of the SAT covers three content categories: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics.
Heart of Algebra: Questions in the Heart of Algebra category cover linear equations, inequalities, functions, and graphs.
Passport to Advanced Math: The Passport to Advanced Math category measures a test taker’s ability to work with and analyze complex equations. Students will deal with quadratic equations and other polynomials and cover topics including nonlinear expressions, exponential expressions, radicals, functions, and word problems.
Additional Topics: Additional Topics is a catch-all that mainly includes questions about geometry, basic trigonometry, and complex numbers.
| Content Category | Number of Questions | Percentage of Score |
| Heart of Algebra | 8 | 40% |
| Passport to Advanced Math | 9 | 45% |
| Additional Topics | 3 | 15% |
Tips for Acing the No Calculator Section of the SAT
There are numerous strategies for scoring well on the No Calculator Math Section of the SAT. First and foremost, don’t panic! The majority of these problems focus more on reasoning than arithmetic, vastly diminishing the usefulness of a calculator.
Memorize: You have about 1 minute and 15 seconds per question to arrive at an answer in the No Calculator Math Section of the SAT—memorizing foundational math will buy you precious seconds during the exam. A good place to start is with multiplication tables through 15, the squares of integers, and common fractions and how they’re represented as decimals and percentages. While you’re at it, memorize the information on the No Calculator instructions page to save even more time on test day.
Read Carefully: One of the abilities the No Calculator Math Section of the SAT tests is your reading comprehension; in many cases, these questions are designed to fool you. Answer choices may contain one or two answers that would be correct if the problem were written in a slightly different way. Word problems can also be overly involved and even contain information not necessary for finding a solution. Be sure to underline the important details as you read the question so you don’t get tripped up.
Show Your Work: Sure, the grading machine won’t see how you arrived at an answer—but on questions that require multiple steps to solve, writing out your work can help you catch mistakes and avoid errors. An added bonus of writing out your work is that if you end up with extra time at the end of the section, you can go back and review your work.
Identify and Drill Weaknesses: It seems all of our advice on the SAT (and the ACT, for that matter) include this step. The more time you spend drilling for the SAT, the more familiar you’ll become with its categories, questions, and formats. With that said, your time is limited, so make the most of it. When taking practice exams or just going through flashcards, you should review what you got wrong, identify underlying concepts, and focus on improving in that area.
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