Which TI Calculator for the SAT® and Why?
Just about every TI calculator is approved for the math test calculator portion of the SAT® exam. And, I encourage you to know how — and when — to use your calculator. Here are some helpful tips to help you prepare you for the test:
- Bring your own calculator — calculators are not provided, and sharing is not an option
- Practice for the test using the same calculator you will use on test day
- The math test includes some questions where it’s better not to use a calculator, even though you’re allowed to
- You are only allowed to use calculators on the math portion of the test, so don’t pull out your calculator in the middle of the reading or writing sections
Which calculators are allowed?
Here is the list of approved calculators for the SAT® if you want to make certain your calculator is permitted:
- TI-73 Explorer™ graphing calculator
- TI-80 graphing calculator
- TI-81 graphing calculator
- TI-82 graphing calculator
- TI-83 graphing calculator and TI-83 Plus graphing calculator
- TI-83 Plus Silver Edition graphing calculator
- TI-84 Plus graphing calculator and TI-84 Plus T graphing calculator
- TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator and TI-84 Plus CE-T graphing calculator
- TI-84 Plus Silver Edition graphing calculator
- TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition graphing calculator
- TI-85 graphing calculator
- TI-86 graphing calculator
- TI-89 graphing calculator (this is a CAS calculator)
- TI-89 Titanium graphing calculator (this is a CAS calculator)
- TI-Nspire™ graphing calculator
- TI-Nspire™ CX graphing calculator
- TI -Nspire™ CX II graphing calculator
- TI-Nspire™ CAS graphing calculator
- TI-Nspire™ CX CAS graphing calculator
- TI-Nspire™ CX II CAS graphing calculator
Notice that super-powerful CAS (which stands for Computer Algebra System) calculators are allowed. In addition to finding numeric answers, a CAS calculator provides algebraic answers in simplest form and can perform calculus commands, such as integrals and derivatives.
Which calculators are not allowed?
The SAT® policy also lists functionality that is not permitted on the exam, which includes:
- Models that can access the internet, have wireless, Bluetooth, cellular, audio/video recording and playing, camera or any other smartphone-type feature
- Models that have a typewriter-like keyboard, pen input or stylus (more on this below)
- Models that use electrical outlets, make noise or have a paper tape
- Calculator function on a mobile phone
The TI-92 graphing calculator is the only TI model I’ve ever used in the classroom that is not allowed on the calculator portion of the SAT®. Why? It has a QWERTY (typewriter-like) keyboard.
If you haven’t seen the SAT® since it was redesigned several years ago, you may not have realized that on about one-third of the math portion of the SAT®, a calculator of any kind is prohibited. I think this is why they allow CAS calculators on approximately two-thirds of the test. The College Board® knows that students need to be able to do mathematics with and without a calculator if they want to achieve the highest scores.
Summary chart
There is a nice chart on the TI website that summarizes which calculators are allowed on the different standardized tests.
Related blogs
- Top Tips for Tackling the SAT® With the TI-84 Plus CE
- Exam resources from TI
- Which TI Calculator for the ACT® and Why?
- Top 10 Features of TI-84 Plus for Taking the ACT®
The College Board®, AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT® is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. IB is a registered trademark owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization. None are affiliated with, nor endorse, TI products. Policies subject to change. Visit www.collegeboard.org, www.act.org and www.ibo.org.
About the author: Jeff McCalla, author of “TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator for Dummies,” 2nd ed. (Wiley, 2013) and “TI-Nspire for Dummies,” 2nd ed. (Wiley, 2011), teaches math at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis. McCalla received the Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2009. Follow him on Twitter @jmccalla1.
Tagcloud
Archive
- 2024
-
2023
- January (3)
- February (3)
- March (5)
- April (3)
- May (3)
- June (3)
- July (2)
-
August (6)
- 5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Classroom for Back to School
- Day of the Dog: Which Dog Is Roundest?
- Women Who Code: A TI Intern’s Fascinating STEM Journey
- 6 Sensational TI Resources to Jump-Start Your School Year
- 3 Back-to-School Math Activities to Reenergize Your Students
- A New School Year — A New You(Tube)!
- September (2)
- October (3)
- November (2)
- 2022
-
2021
- January (2)
- February (3)
- March (5)
-
April (7)
- Top Tips for Tackling the SAT® with the TI-84 Plus CE
- Monday Night Calculus With Steve Kokoska and Tom Dick
- Which TI Calculator for the SAT® and Why?
- Top Tips From a Math Teacher for Taking the Online AP® Exam
- Celebrate National Robotics Week With Supervised Teardowns
- How To Use the TI-84 Plus Family of Graphing Calculators To Succeed on the ACT®
- AP® Statistics: 6 Math Functions You Must Know for the TI-84 Plus
- May (1)
- June (3)
- July (2)
- August (5)
- September (2)
-
October (4)
- Transformation Graphing — the Families of Functions Modular Video Series to the Rescue!
- Top 3 Halloween-Themed Classroom Activities
- In Honor of National Chemistry Week, 5 “Organic” Ways to Incorporate TI Technology Into Chemistry Class
- 5 Spook-tacular Ways to Bring the Halloween “Spirits” Into Your Classroom
- November (4)
- December (1)
-
2020
- January (2)
- February (1)
- March (3)
- April (1)
- May (2)
- July (1)
- August (2)
- September (3)
-
October (7)
- Tips for Teachers in the time of COVID-19
- Top 10 Features of TI-84 Plus for Taking the ACT®
- TI Codes Contest Winners Revealed
- Best of Chemistry Activities for the Fall Semester
- Best of Biology Activities for the Fall Semester
- Best of Physics Activities for the Fall Semester
- Best of Middle Grades Science Activities
- November (1)
- December (2)
- 2019
-
2018
- January (1)
- February (5)
- March (4)
- April (5)
- May (4)
- June (4)
- July (4)
- August (4)
- September (5)
-
October (9)
- Art in Chemistry
- Which Texas Instruments (TI) Calculator for the ACT® and Why?
- Meet TI Teacher of the Month: Jessica Kohout
- Innovation in Biology
- Learning With Your Students
- A first-of-its-kind STEM strategy charts path to help educators
- #NCTMregionals Hartford 2018 Recap
- The Math Behind “Going Viral”
- Real-World Applications of Chemistry
-
November (8)
- Testing Tips: Using Calculators on Class Assessments
- Girls in STEM: A Personal Perspective
- 5 Teachers You Should Be Following on Instagram Right Now
- Meet TI Teacher of the Month: Katie England
- End-of-Marking Period Feedback Is a Two-Way Street
- #NCTMregionals Kansas City 2018 Recap
- Slope: It Shouldn’t Just Be a Formula
- Hit a high note exploring the math behind music
- December (5)
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015