Yes, you can use Desmos on the SAT. The digital SAT has Desmos graphing and scientific calculators built into Bluebook, available for every question in both Math modules. You can also bring an approved handheld calculator instead. Desmos is fastest for systems of equations, vertices, equations with no algebra route and regressions; for discriminants, sums of roots and percent changes, algebra is usually quicker.
Below, try 8 SAT-style questions and compare the Desmos route with the by-hand route for each. Then see the 9 Desmos moves worth knowing, the mistakes that cost points, and the official calculator policy, with a checker for your own calculator. No sign-up needed.
Solve each one however you like; open the testing version of Desmos in another tab if you want to try the graph. After you check an answer, you'll see the Desmos route next to the by-hand route and which one is faster. The clock starts with your first answer.
Questions written by Test Ninjas in the style of the digital SAT. Pace uses College Board's official Math timing (44 questions in 70 minutes, about 95 seconds each).
Almost everything the free Desmos graphing calculator does: graph equations and inequalities, mark intersections, zeros and vertices, add sliders and tables, and run regressions. Bluebook also has a Desmos scientific calculator, and you can switch between the two at any time during Math. The test versions differ from the free one in only a few ways (College Board and Desmos testing sheet, updated for 2026–27):
| Feature | On the SAT | Free Desmos |
|---|---|---|
| Graphing calculator | Yes, in both Math modules | Yes |
| Scientific calculator | Yes, same as the free version | Yes |
| Four-function calculator | No | Yes |
| Images, folders and notes | Turned off | Available |
| Log mode for regressions | Turned on automatically for exponential, log and power regressions | Off until you check it |
| Reading and Writing section | No calculator | — |
The Math section is two modules of 22 questions, 35 minutes each, and the calculator is available for all 44 questions (College Board). It's the same Desmos on the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9, so what you learn here carries over.
Nine moves cover nearly every question where Desmos saves time. Learn what to type for each, and the graph does the rest. Desmos marks key points in gray; click a gray point to see its coordinates.
| Question type | What to type | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| System of equations | Both equations, one per line, as written: 3x+2y=16 | Click the intersection. Check whether the question asks for x, y or a combination. |
| Zeros, roots, x-intercepts | The function: y=2x^2-7x-15 | Click each gray point on the x-axis. Irrational roots show as rounded decimals. |
| Maximum or minimum | The function, then click the vertex | The maximum value is the y-coordinate; the x-coordinate is where it happens. |
| Equation with no algebra route | Each side as its own graph: y=2^x and y=3x+4 | Zoom out. There may be more than one intersection. |
| Unknown constant (k, c, a) | Use the letter, then add the slider: y=x^2-8x+c | Set the slider's range and step. A discriminant is often faster. |
| Line or curve of best fit | A table, then y_1~mx_1+b or y_1~ab^(x_1) | Use ~ (tilde), not =. Read m, b or a, b from the output. |
| Which expression is equivalent? | The original and each choice on separate lines | The equivalent choice lies exactly on top of the original graph. |
| Inequalities and solution regions | The inequalities: y>2x-1 | Plot the answer-choice point, like (2, 4), to see if it's in the shaded region. |
| Mean, median, spread of a list | mean([3,5,8,9,12]), median([...]) | Fast for long lists. For a missing value, the total (mean × count) is quicker. |
When there's a one-line rule, when the answer is an expression rather than a number, or when the hard part is reading the question. Setting up a graph takes time; these take less:
A good habit: decide your route in the first 10 seconds. If you can see the rule, use it. If you'd have to solve something messy, or you want to check an answer, graph it. Our SAT Math question types guide shows the rule behind each type.
Most lost points come from reading the graph wrong, not from Desmos itself.
2^x+1 is 2ˣ + 1, not 2ˣ⁺¹. Use parentheses: 2^(x+1). Type fractions with / and check how Desmos displays them.You can use a calculator for the whole Math section and none of Reading and Writing. You may use the built-in Desmos calculator or bring one approved handheld calculator: a graphing calculator without CAS, a scientific calculator, or a four-function calculator. Calculators aren't required (College Board calculator policy, checked October 26, 2026).
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Graphing calculators without CAS | Calculators with CAS (computer algebra system) functionality |
| Scientific calculators | Programs or apps that do symbolic algebra (remove them first) |
| Four-function calculators (not recommended) | QWERTY keyboards; wireless, Bluetooth or cellular; cameras or recording |
| The built-in Desmos graphing and scientific calculators | Phone calculator apps; tablets and laptops (unless an approved accommodation) |
| Battery-operated, handheld calculators | Power cords, paper-tape printing, pen-input or electronic writing pads |
Pick what you plan to bring and tick any feature it has. The answer follows College Board's calculator policy.
On test day, keep the sound off and the cover under your desk, and don't share your calculator. If it stops working and you didn't bring a backup, you can keep going with the built-in Desmos calculator. College Board recommends practicing with the calculator you'll use on test day.
About a quarter of SAT Math questions have no answer choices. For those, you can enter up to 5 characters for a positive answer and 6 for a negative one, including the minus sign. A fraction is fine if it fits; if a decimal doesn't fit, cut it off or round it at the fourth digit, as the test's directions say. Mixed numbers aren't accepted.
| Exact answer | Accepted | Not accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 2/3 | 2/3, .6666, .6667, 0.666, 0.667 | .66, .67, 0.67 |
| 5/3 | 5/3, 1.666, 1.667 | 1.66, 1.67, 1 2/3 |
| −7/2 | −7/2, −3.5 | −3 1/2 |
Desmos often shows a long decimal like 1.66666666667. Before you type it, check whether a short fraction fits (5/3 is safest), or keep four digits.
Practice on the testing version of the calculator, inside full-length timed tests, so choosing a route becomes automatic. A week of short sessions is enough to learn the nine moves.
| Days | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take the 8 questions above. List the moves you didn't know. |
| 2–3 | Systems, intersections and vertices: graph 10 questions from the systems and nonlinear functions guides, then solve the same ones by hand. Time both. |
| 4 | Regressions and tables: enter 3 data sets and fit linear and exponential models with ~. |
| 5 | Sliders and equivalent expressions: graph each answer choice against the original for 5 questions. |
| 6 | Take a full adaptive digital SAT practice test. Mark every Math question where you graphed and note whether it saved time. |
| 7 | Redo the questions where graphing was slow. Decide the faster route for each type. |
You can practice on the testing versions of the calculators at desmos.com/testing, and College Board's Bluebook app has a test preview and full-length practice tests with the same built-in calculator. If you're taking the November 7, 2026 SAT or the December 5 test, there's time for the full week.
Checked October 26, 2026: