ACT calculators are for the Math section only, including when you take the optional Science section. Use a permitted handheld or, for online testing, the Desmos graphing calculator built into the platform. Do not assume that a calculator allowed in a class or on another exam is permitted on the ACT.
This guide was checked September 6, 2026 against the official ACT calculator policy. Review that page again before your administration.
Check the model and its capabilities
ACT allows four-function, scientific, and graphing models unless prohibited, with required modifications where applicable. Built-in or downloaded CAS functionality is prohibited. Examples include TI-89 and TI-92 models, TI-Nspire CAS, HP Prime, and listed Casio CAS devices; non-CAS TI-Nspire is distinguished as permitted.
The policy requires removal of documents and CAS programs, silencing sound, and specified modifications for paper tape, infrared ports, or power cords. Read the exact requirements rather than assuming every calculator can be used unchanged.
Phone calculators, communication devices, and QWERTY-keyboard models are among the prohibited categories. Calculator sharing is not permitted.
These points summarize selected rules; the provider’s full policy controls the decision.
Read the full model name
A manufacturer name is not enough. Find the exact model printed on the device and check any suffix or CAS designation.
For example, two calculators in a similarly named family may have different symbolic-algebra capabilities. Do not borrow a friend’s device on the assumption that it is the same as the one you practiced with.
If you cannot resolve a question from the official policy, contact the appropriate official support before test day. A last-minute debate at check-in is not a reliable equipment plan.
Write down the model you will use so you can verify that the device packed is the device checked.
Keep Math and Science tool habits separate
Science questions may contain graphs, tables, and numerical comparisons, but that does not make them a second calculator section.
Practice identifying trends, units, and comparisons without reaching for a calculator during Science. Many tasks require reading the correct values rather than carrying out elaborate arithmetic.
For an original example, if a table shows a measurement increasing from twelve to eighteen, the difference is six. The important work may be choosing the correct row and condition.
Build the habit during practice so you do not have to change it on test day.
Understand the online calculator option
ACT’s dedicated calculator page now explicitly identifies embedded Desmos graphing access during online Math. Use the official online practice environment to become familiar with how that tool appears.
An embedded test calculator is different from opening a separate browser tab or application. Do not plan to access an external calculator service during the test.
If you also bring a handheld, verify it independently against ACT’s rules. The existence of Desmos does not make a prohibited handheld acceptable.
Practice switching attention between the question and the permitted tool, including checking what the output means.
Test a few operations you actually need
Choose simple original checks whose answers you can verify:
- 4(7 − 2)² should equal 100.
- 3/4 + 1/8 should equal 7/8.
- For y = 2x + 4, an input of six should produce sixteen.
- The lines y = x + 1 and y = −x + 7 intersect at (3, 4).
These checks reveal whether you can enter parentheses, fractions, functions, and graphs correctly.
Do not use a new device’s most advanced feature as your first rehearsal. Build confidence in the operations that recur in your actual practice.
A wrong output may reflect entry syntax, angle mode, or interpretation rather than a mathematical concept.
Review stored material deliberately
A calculator used for school may contain notes, documents, or programs. Check what ACT requires you to remove and use the manufacturer’s instructions for the exact device.
Do not assume that a generic “exam mode” label satisfies every requirement. Verify the underlying restrictions.
If you need to preserve schoolwork, do so appropriately before preparing the device for the test. Avoid experimenting with unfamiliar clearing procedures in the testing room.
The objective is a permitted, working calculator that you understand, not a device whose state you are unsure about after hurried changes.
Decide when hand work is clearer
A calculator is an option, not an instruction to enter every expression.
If 7x = 42, dividing by seven is immediate. If a question asks for 14x, recognizing twice the given expression gives eighty-four without an extra variable-solving step.
For a geometric ratio or an exact expression, a diagram or symbolic relationship may reveal the answer more clearly than a decimal display.
After a slow practice question, compare methods. Keep the approach that is accurate and easy to recognize, rather than collecting complicated calculator tricks.
Prepare for power and equipment problems
Check that the handheld works and has reliable power. If you bring a backup, it must also satisfy the policy and be familiar enough to use.
Do not rely on another student’s calculator as the backup. Sharing is prohibited.
For online testing, practice the embedded tool even if you normally use a handheld. For paper testing, understand your permitted equipment plan before arriving.
If equipment fails during the test, follow staff directions. Do not improvise with a phone or unauthorized app.
Use a final equipment checklist
| Check | Completed? |
|---|---|
| Exact model reviewed against current ACT policy | |
| Required modifications addressed | |
| Stored material checked | |
| Sound off and power reliable | |
| Essential operations practiced | |
| Math-only use understood | |
| Backup, if any, also verified |
Complete this alongside the broader test-day checklist rather than treating the calculator as the only preparation task.
The ACT score calculator on SHSPrep is for practice-score interpretation after an attempt. It is not the Math calculator used during the actual exam.
SHSPrep’s ACT program includes lessons, targeted practice, and two original full-length mock tests with raw performance results. You can make your equipment plan concrete now by verifying the exact device and rehearsing a few useful operations.