There’s a lot to think about before ACT test day—how you’ll get to the test center, what snacks to bring, what to wear. As you’re preparing, you may wonder: what calculators are allowed on the ACT? In this post, we’ll look at ACT calculator policy to help you determine what devices you can bring with you into the testing room!
To understand what calculators are allowed on the ACT, it helps to understand when calculators are allowed on the ACT: it’s only for the Math section. Understandably, a lot of students believe they’re permitted in Science, too—but they’re not!
And on test day, the proctor will check your calculator before you start doing those problems. Find out more about the official calculator policy on the ACT.
There are way too many ACT permitted calculators to give a 100% definitive list of what calculators are allowed on the ACT. However, you can use some general guidelines to see if your calculator fits the bill. Here’s some basic information that should answer calculator questions for 95% of readers:
For those of you with TI-83+/84 calculators, there’s a big ‘wait a minute’ before going into the testing room. ACT forbids you from having any programs installed on your calculator. Though some of you might have put Tetris on your calculator for a little clandestine fun during your math teacher’s lectures, your proctor may verify that your APPS bank is empty before allowing you to test. So if you have any high scores (or anything else) on there, back them up now.
There are also some calculators that you can use, but only in certain ways or with specific modifications. Here’s the rundown:
According to the ACT, here are a few questionable cases that are actually OK for use on test day:
The ACT is a lot more specific about the exact calculators that you CAN’T use on the test. Overall, these are:
As of the writing of this article, these included:
So now you know which calculators you can use on test day and when you can use them. However, just because you can use a calculator for each math problem—should you? Magoosh’s ACT expert addresses the best way to use your calculator on the ACT in this video. Take a look, then read on for more calculator guidelines!
With those points in mind, here are our best tips for using your calculator on the ACT.
Once you know that your calculator is permitted, be sure to use it exclusively when you take practice ACT Math Tests or do practice problems. Doing this will make you more comfortable with your calculator. Also, make sure to bring some extra batteries on test day. Unlike your phone, most calculators will not warn you about low batteries until they stop working altogether.
That’s all for now, Magooshers. Best of luck on your calculations!
Rachel is a Magoosh Content Creator. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book. Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS, is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press, while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND, co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook! View all posts
