Exciting news: you’re allowed to use a calculator on the second, and longer, section of math on the SAT. That’s about two-thirds of the total number of math questions on the test.
That said, The College Board has a strict policy on what types of calculators are okay and which are not. You’re responsible for choosing one that fulfills all of the requirements.
SAT Section | Calculator Allowed? | Number of multiple-choice questions | Number of Grid-In Questions | Time Allowed |
#3 | No | 15 | 5 | 25 minutes |
#4 | Yes | 30 | 8 | 55 minutes |
Approved calculators include:
To get you started on your calculator quest, here are four of the most popular ones students use on the SAT. All of these are on the College Board’s list of approved models. You can find the complete list below:
When I ask among friends who tutor SAT Math, this is the calculator I hear mentioned most often. It has easily accessible mathematical functions, so you won’t waste precious seconds during the test digging around in menus. Also, its high-resolution LCD display makes it easy to see what you’re doing.
This calculator actually has a lot more capabilities than you’ll need for the SAT. But it meets all of the College Board’s requirements, and it’s many people’s favorite for all kinds of standardized tests. One big reason why this calculator has so many fans is it gives you answers in both fraction and rationalized form, so you get a nice, clear “10/19” instead of something like “0.5882352.”
Another graphing calculator explicitly approved for the SAT, the TI-Nspire is intuitive to use and nice to look at, with a 3.5” color screen. It’s also exceptionally thin and light, and you don’t need to worry about the batteries running out during the test. Possibly its most famous feature is its CAS (Computer Algebraic System) functionality. You can use this calculator to solve for X without first simplifying the equation to get X by itself on one side.
If you’re just looking for a reliable calculator to support you through SAT Math, the Aibecy is a great no-frills pick. Its 240 functions support basic calculation, scientific function calculation, and statistical calculation.
Remember, this isn’t an exhaustive list. Every calculator listed in “Brands and Models” below has been approved for use on the SAT.
If you already have a calculator, or if the ones mentioned above are outside your price range, don’t worry–there are plenty of other approved calculators. The College Board’s rules here are mostly about what isn’t allowed. The best calculator for the SAT is one that avoids all of the following no-nos:
It’s best to leave all disallowed equipment at home on test day.
With all that in mind, here are all the calculators that the College Board specifically approves:
FX-6000 series FX-6200 series FX-6300 series FX-6500 series FX-7000 series FX-7300 series FX-7400 series FX-7500 series FX-7700 series FX-7800 series FX-8000 series | FX-8500 series FX-8700 series FX-8800 series Graph25 series FX-9700 series FX-9750 series FX-9860 series CFX-9800 series CFX-9850 series CFX-9950 series CFX-9970 series | FX 1.0 series Algebra FX 2.0 series FX-CG-10 FX-CG-20 series FX-CG-50 Graph35 series Graph75 series Graph95 series Graph100 series FX-CG500** |
HP-9G HP-28 series HP-38G HP-39 series HP-40 series | HP-48 series HP-49 series HP-50 series HP Prime |
EC-4033 EC-4034 EC-4037 |
EL-5200 EL-9200 series EL-9300 series EL-9600 series (no stylus use allowed) EL-9900 series |
TI-73 TI-80 TI-81 TI-82 TI-83 TI-83 Plus TI-83 Plus Silver TI-84 Plus TI-84 Plus CE TI-84 Plus Silver | TI-84 Plus C Silver TI-84 Plus T TI-84 Plus CE-T TI-85TI-86 TI-89 TI-89 Titanium TI-Nspire TI-Nspire CX TI-Nspire CX II | TI-Nspire CX II-T TI-Nspire CM-C TI-Nspire CAS TI-Nspire CX CAS TI-Nspire CX II CAS TI-Nspire CX II-T CAS TI-Nspire CM-C CAS TI-Nspire CX-C CAS TI-Nspire CX II-C CAS |
Datexx DS-883 Micronta NumWorks Smart2 |
All those model numbers may look overwhelming, but don’t worry. Just ask yourself these three quick questions: