Can you bring a calculator to the SAT?

    Yes. The Digital SAT includes a built-in Desmos graphing calculator you can use on every math question, and you can also bring an approved physical calculator as a backup.

    The built-in Desmos calculator

    The Digital SAT includes a full Desmos graphing calculator inside Bluebook. It is available on every math question, and it is genuinely powerful — most 1500+ students rely on Desmos to speed through algebra and graphing questions.

    Approved physical calculators

    You can also bring your own calculator as backup. Approved calculators include most graphing calculators (TI-84, TI-Nspire non-CAS, Casio fx-9860) and four-function or scientific calculators.

    Not allowed

    Calculators with CAS (TI-89, TI-Nspire CAS), laptop-based calculators, phone calculators, or anything with wireless capability are prohibited.

    What this means for your prep

    Do not leave this answer as background knowledge. Connect it to a practice decision: what to drill, when to test, how to pace a module, or how to interpret a score report.

    • If the answer is about timing or format, test it in a timed module.
    • If the answer is about scoring, run your current numbers through the score calculator.
    • If the answer is about tools or calculator policy, practice the relevant Math question type immediately.

    What to practice after reading this

    1. Open a Math bank set and use Desmos only when it saves a real algebra step.
    2. Practice systems, nonlinear functions, and scatterplots with the calculator visible.
    3. For every calculator miss, write whether the error was setup, graph reading, or answer-format conversion.

    Common mistakes

    • Opening Desmos for one-step arithmetic.
    • Reading the wrong coordinate from an intersection.
    • Using regression when the problem only asks for slope from two points.

    Use this answer

    Related SAT answers

    Browse all SAT resources →

    Ready to practice?

    Drill free SAT questions by skill, take timed modules, and project your 1600-scale score.

    Open the SAT question bank →

    SAT® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.