PSAT math can be intimidating so it would be nice to have to have some computerized help. But can you use a calculator on the PSAT? Yes you can, though only the second of the two Math sections on the PSAT.
PSAT math can be intimidating so it would be nice to have to have some computerized help. But can you use a calculator on the PSAT? Yes you can, though only the second of the two Math sections on the PSAT. But what kind of calculator can you use, and when does it make sense to use a calculator on the PSAT?
Read on for the complete list of approved calculators for PSAT test day and our top tips for using your calculator effectively.
Can You Use a Calculator on the PSAT?
Like the SAT, the PSAT has four sections: Reading, Writing, Math (No Calculator), and Math (Calculator). The No Calculator Math section is 25 minutes long, and has 17 questions, while the Calculator section is 45 minutes long and has 11 questions. As the name suggests, the only time during the PSAT where you can use your calculator is on thefinal Calculator math section.
According to College Board, most questions on the Calculator Math section can be answered without using a calculator, but a calculator could be useful on some questions. Translated from the College Board's cautious official language: you absolutely should use a calculator when it’s called for to make your life easier, but don’t over-complicate questions by using a calculator when it would be quicker to solve by hand.
For example, it’s faster (and presents lower chances of error) to use your calculator to multiply 34 x 174. However, it’s much faster to solve an equation like 3x + 4y = 17, 4x + 8y = 26 by hand than to use your graphing calculator to do it.
Approved Calculators for PSAT Test Day
The College Board allows three types of calculators on the PSAT: four-function calculators, scientific calculators, and graphing calculators.
Four-function calculators are so-called because they can basically just do four things: add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Although you could theoretically use just a four-function calculator on the PSAT, it's not recommended, most likely because four-function calculators usually lack useful features like parentheses and entry lines.
The only advantages of four-function calculators are that they tend to be relatively inexpensive and take up less space. But honestly, the disadvantages of not being able to see what you just entered into the calculator far outweigh the benefits.
All scientific calculators are permitted for use on the PSAT. A scientific calculator has all the features of a four-function calculator plus a few other useful things. Key functions included in all scientific calculators are parentheses, pi, and trigonometric functions, as can be seen below:
Parentheses in particular are great because you can use them to make sure your calculations happen in the right order. For example, ((15 x 19) – (13/2)) /100 is a whole lot easier to enter in all at once with parentheses, instead of having to break it up into its individual parts and then re-use the parts; every extra calculation entry you do introduces the chance of more error.
The final type of calculator you can bring to the PSAT is a graphing calculator. Graphing calculators are great because they will definitely have features like entry lines as well as everything a scientific calculator has. They can also be helpful in visualizing solutions to linear equations – for instance, if you want to find out where the two equations cross, you can just look at the graph to get the coordinates
The only problem with graphing calculators is that their multifunctionality can trick students into using them when not using a calculator would be faster. Avoid this trap by using a graphing calculator as you take practice tests and challenging yourself to question each time you use the calculator if it’s really necessary, or if it’s taking up more time than it’s saving.
Unlike with scientific calculators, not all models of graphing calculator are allowed under the PSAT calculator rules. Below is a chart of acceptable PSAT graphing calculators, sorted by brand.
|Casio||Hewlett-Packard||Radio Shack||Sharp||Texas Instruments||Other Brands|
|FX-6000 series||HP-9G||EC-4033||EL-5200||TI-73||Datexx DS-883|
|FX-6200 series||HP-28 series||EC-4034||EL-9200 series||TI-80||Micronta|
|FX-6300 series||HP-38G||EC-4037||EL-9300 series||TI-81||Smart2|
|FX-6500 series||HP-39 series||EL-9600 series (stylus not permitted)||TI-82|
|FX-7000 series||HP-40 series||EL-9900 series||TI-83/TI-83 Plus|
|FX-7300 series||HP-48 series||TI-83 Plus Silver|
|FX-7400 series||HP-49 series||TI-84 Plus/TI-84 Plus T|
|FX-7500 series||HP-50 series||TI-84 Plus CE/TI-84 Plus CE-T|
|TI-84 Plus Silver|
|FX-7800 series||TI-84 Plus C Silver|
|FX-8800 series||TI-89 Titanium|
|FX-9700 series||TI-Nspire/TI-Nspire CX|
|FX-9750 series||TI-Nspire CAS/TI-Nspire CX CAS|
|FX-9860 series||TI-Nspire CM-C/TI-Nspire CM-C CAS|
|CFX-9800 series||TI-Nspire CX-C CAS|
|FX 1.0 series|
|Algebra FX 2.0 series|
Avoid These PSAT Calculators
Some calculators, like TI-92 Plus or Voyage 200, are banned from the PSAT because they violate College Board 