Yes. A calculator is allowed on every question in the SAT Math section. Desmos is built into Bluebook, so you need not bring one. You may also bring your own handheld calculator, if it has no CAS (computer algebra system) and none of the banned features below.
This page gives the SAT calculator rules only. It covers what College Board allows, what it bans, and how a calculator is handled at a UAE test centre.
Desmos for everyone. Your own handheld only if it has no CAS.
44 of 44 maths questions
SAT calculator rules in one table
| Question | College Board’s answer |
|---|---|
| Where can I use a calculator? | In both Math modules, on every question. Not in Reading and Writing. |
| Is one given to me? | Yes. Bluebook has Desmos with a graphing mode and a scientific mode. |
| Must I bring one? | No. A handheld is optional. |
| Which handhelds may I bring? | Graphing calculators without CAS, scientific calculators and 4-function calculators. College Board does not advise 4-function ones, because they usually do not follow the order of operations. |
| Is there an approved list? | No. College Board stopped keeping a list of allowed graphing calculators. It now keeps a list of banned ones. |
| Can the rules change? | Yes, as often as once a year. College Board sets any change in time for each year’s August test. |
Source: College Board SAT calculator policy and calculator use pages, checked on 11 November 2026.
An old myth: the paper SAT had a part with no calculator. The digital SAT has no such part. Some websites still say “most of the maths test does not allow a calculator”. That is out of date.
Is my calculator banned? A 9-point check
Hold your calculator and go down this list. One “yes” means it stays at home.
| Does your calculator… | If yes |
|---|---|
| Have “CAS” in its name, or factor and expand expressions, or give exact algebra answers? | Banned. These are the signs of a CAS calculator. |
| Have an app, menu or program that does symbolic algebra? | Banned. |
| Have a QWERTY keyboard, like a laptop? | Banned. |
| Connect to wireless internet, Bluetooth or a mobile network? | Banned. |
| Have a camera, or record sound or video? | Banned. |
| Use a pen, a stylus or a writing pad? | Banned. |
| Print on paper tape? | Banned. |
| Run on a phone, tablet or laptop? | Banned. A tablet or laptop is allowed only as an approved accommodation. |
| Need a power cord? | Not allowed. Only battery-run handhelds. |
Banned by name
- Casio: ClassPad 300, 330 and 400, ClassPad II (fx-CP400), fx-CG500, Algebra fx 2.0, and every model that starts with CFX-9970G.
- HP: HP Prime, HP 48GII, and every model that starts with 40G, 49G or 50G.
- Texas Instruments: TI-Nspire CAS, TI-Nspire CX II CAS, every model that starts with TI-89 or TI-92, and any model with “CAS” in its name. A TI-Nspire without “CAS” in its name is fine.
For UAE families: if you buy a calculator in a shop here, read the full model name on the box before you pay. “CX II” and “CX II CAS” look alike, but only one is allowed.
On test day at a UAE centre: how your calculator is handled
The same College Board rules apply at every centre in the UAE. Here is what happens to a handheld calculator, in order.
- Before test day. Remove any programs with algebra functions, such as equation solvers, and any stored documents. Put in fresh batteries.
- Before the test starts. Staff ask you to clear all saved formulas on your calculator.
- Reading and Writing. Your calculator stays under your desk for both modules.
- Math. Take it out. Its cover stays under your desk the whole time. Turn off all sound.
- The whole test. Do not share it, not even for a moment. Using a calculator to pass on information, or to take questions out of the room, means dismissal and cancelled scores.
Two more rules. Some calculators have characters one inch tall or more, or a raised display that others could see. Then the proctor may seat you in another place. And if your calculator stops working with no spare, you carry on with Desmos.
What this means for you: bring one or not?
Bring a handheld if
You have used it for months and it passes the 9-point check. You have also done at least one full Bluebook practice test with it.
Use Desmos only if
You practise in Bluebook already, your calculator is new to you, or you are not sure it passes the check.
Either way
Practise with the exact tool you will use on test day. A new calculator on test day costs time.
This is our advice, not a College Board rule. College Board’s own advice is to use a calculator you know, and that some maths questions are quicker with no calculator at all. To learn how to use the built-in calculator well, read our guide to Desmos on the digital SAT.
Free BMI Maths Test
A calculator fixes sums. What about the concept?
Any calculator can cut CMT, calculation mistakes. It does nothing for CNC, concept not clear, or DRC, did not read carefully. The Free BMI Maths Test finds your child’s real maths level and which of the 6 mistake types they make.
Questions people ask about the SAT calculator
Can I use a calculator on the whole SAT maths section?
Yes. You may use Desmos or an allowed handheld on all 44 questions in both Math modules. You may not use any calculator in the Reading and Writing section.
Can I bring my own calculator?
Yes, if it has no CAS and no banned features. That means no QWERTY keys, wireless, Bluetooth, camera, pen input, paper tape or power cord. You must bring one that works.
Which calculators are banned?
Any CAS calculator, for example the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS, HP Prime and Casio ClassPad. Phone apps, tablets and laptops are banned too. College Board keeps the full banned list on its calculator policy page.
Is the TI-84 allowed?
College Board does not name the TI-84. It has no CAS and is not on the banned list, so under the rules checked on 11 November 2026 it may be used. Remove any equation-solver programs and stored documents first, and check the banned list again before your test.
What if my calculator is not allowed on test day?
The Testing Rules let staff stop you from testing with a banned item, and they may hold it. You can still use Desmos in Bluebook. If you are not sure about a calculator, leave it at home.
Calculator sorted. Is the maths?
The Free BMI Maths Test shows your child’s real maths level and the reason for each mistake, before SAT test day.
Sources
Facts checked on 11 November 2026. College Board may change calculator rules once a year, so check its policy page before your test.
