Graphing Calculator for ACT – Free Online

Can You Use a Graphing Calculator on the ACT?

Yes. The ACT allows graphing calculators on the maths section. Most students use a TI-84 style calculator, and that is a good choice. But not every calculator is allowed, and the rules are strict. Bringing the wrong model can cost you the test.

The main rule is simple: your calculator must not have a computer algebra system (CAS). A CAS can do algebra for you — it can factor, expand and solve symbolically. The ACT bans it because the test is meant to check your maths, not your calculator's. The calculator must also not connect to the internet, and it must not have a QWERTY keyboard like a laptop.

Always check the official ACT calculator policy before test day. The list of approved and banned models is published on the ACT website, and it can change. This page is a guide, not the official rule.

Which Models Are Allowed?

These popular models are allowed on the ACT:

• TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus CE — the most common choice. Allowed on the ACT, SAT and most AP exams.
• TI-83 and TI-83 Plus — older models, still allowed.
• TI-84 style calculators — our free online tool follows this style, so it is good for practice.
• Casio fx-9750GII and fx-9860GII — allowed, as long as they have no CAS.

These models are not allowed on the ACT:

• TI-89 and TI-89 Titanium — they have a CAS.
• TI-Nspire CX CAS — the CAS version is banned. The non-CAS TI-Nspire CX is allowed.
• Any calculator with a QWERTY keyboard — for example, the TI-92.
• Any device that connects to the internet — phones, tablets and smartwatches are banned.

When in doubt, check the model number against the official list. If your calculator is not on the approved list, do not bring it. The TI-84 calculator online and the TI-84 Plus CE pages use the style of the most widely allowed models.

ACT, SAT and AP: How the Rules Differ

The three big exams have similar rules, but they are not the same:

• ACT: graphing calculators are allowed on the maths section only. No CAS, no internet, no QWERTY keyboard.
• SAT: calculators are allowed on the calculator section only. The digital SAT also has a built-in graphing calculator, so you can use that instead of your own. CAS models like the TI-89 are banned.
• AP exams: the rules depend on the subject. AP Calculus allows graphing calculators on some parts and bans them on others. AP Statistics allows them throughout. Check the rules for your subject on the College Board website.

One rule is the same everywhere: the calculator is a tool, not a brain. The exam tests what you know. A calculator saves time on arithmetic and graphing, but it cannot read the question for you.

What to Do Before Test Day

Do these five things in the week before your exam:

1. Check your model against the official approved list for your exam.
2. Clear the memory. Remove programs, notes and stored answers. On the ACT, the supervisor may check your calculator and ask you to clear it. Learn how to clear the memory and reset it before test day.
3. Put in fresh batteries — or charge it fully. Bring spare batteries if your model uses them.
4. Practise with the cleared calculator. Do a full practice test with the calculator in the same state it will be in on exam day. No stored programs, no notes.
5. Know the key functions by heart. Graphing, table, solve, zoom, trace and statistics. If you have to search the menus during the test, you are losing time.

Our graphing calculator simulator is a free way to practise the same keys and menus at home, with no download.

How a Graphing Calculator Helps on the ACT

The ACT maths section has 60 questions in 60 minutes. Speed matters. A graphing calculator helps in three ways:

• Graphing: see a function instead of imagining it. Find intercepts, vertices and intersections by looking at the graph.
• Tables: check values quickly. If you need f(3), the table gives it in one step.
• Solving: solve equations and systems without long algebra. The calculator does the arithmetic while you think about the problem.

But there is a trap: students who reach for the calculator on every question run out of time. For simple arithmetic, your head is faster. Use the calculator for graphs, for long numbers, and for checking — not for 7 + 5. Practise deciding, question by question, whether the calculator helps or slows you down.

Good practice problems: graph a quadratic and read its vertex, solve a system of two lines by finding their intersection, and use the table to check a function at several points. The graphing quadratic functions calculator and the coordinate plane are good places to start.

Practise Free With Our Online Calculator

Use the calculator above to practise for your exam. It is a free TI-84 style graphing calculator, right in your browser. Graph functions, check your answers, and get used to the keys before test day. Everything is free, with no download and no sign-up.

Frequently Asked Questions