In math classrooms across the world a refrain is spoken every test: “can we use a calculator on this?” For years, the SAT gave students a partial yes to that question, with a “No Calculator” and a “Yes Calculator” section. Now, with the revamped SAT, which launched in March 2024, the College Board has given students what they’ve been clamoring for: all calculator, all the time!
The SAT Evolves: Adapting to the Digital Age
When the SAT was last updated in 2016, many people had smartphones in their pocket to use when they tipped at restaurants (or used to spell “restaurant”), but the use of smartphones wasn’t prolific. Now, after years of online learning, it’s hard to imagine a learning environment where students won’t already be using an internet enabled device, let alone a powerful graphing calculator. College Board’s move to allow calculator use for the entire Math section of the SAT reflects the times, but there’s even better news for students about calculator usage on this new SAT.
The new SAT has integrated the leading online graphing calculator into the test: Desmos. If you’re not in the know, Desmos is a powerful online graphing calculator, which boasts a veritable arsenal of math functions from statistics to systems. It would seem like using Desmos is like bringing a motorcycle to a bicycle race, but that’s not entirely true!
Maximizing Desmos Use on the SAT: Tips for Success
Like all tools, Desmos is useless in the hands of an unskilled user. For one, many students don’t know that Desmos will be the calculating tool in the top right of the screen under the “calculator” link. For another, if students don’t know how Desmos works, there’s no real advantage to using it.
So, here are some tips and tricks to getting the most out of using Desmos on the SAT.
- Copy and Paste: Because Desmos will be integrated into the test environment, students can copy and paste equations and values into the calculator. User Error? Not sweating that anymore.
- Des-Function Junction, It’s got functions: Under the keyboard icon, there’s a whole list of functions. From Mean, Median, and Range, to Sin, Cos, and Tan. If there’s a tricky bit of figuring, or tough operation, chances are there’s a preset for it.
- Graphing: I know it seems obvious, but if you consider that non-linear equations and graphing questions have become the most frequent items on the test, this is huge! Most juniors can confidently and quickly graph lines for solutions, but parabolas? Or higher order functions? Yeah, let’s crank up the Desmos machine and let it do the heavy lifting.
I know what you’re thinking: “So what do I need to study for? It’s pretty much in the bag, right?” Well, it isn’t.
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Desmos and the SAT: It’s Not Just About the Calculator
While lots of problems are easily handled in the Desmos calculator, there are many problems that still require math that calculators can’t do (yet.) Plus, the College Board is no stranger to writing twisty-turny questions that will still require math knowledge to untangle, calculator or not.
Preparation Is Key: Beyond Calculator Proficiency
As always, the best way to increase any scores is by practice. Use the tools you have but remember that the underlying understanding behind calculator use will still be paramount. The SAT continues to weigh Algebra (linear and increasingly non-linear) as its main math topic.
If you’re not confident in solving for x without help, you may want to log some time practicing the questions through the College Board’s Bluebook app or with your Academic Approach instructor. It is a poor craftsperson that blames their tools, and a poor mathematician that only uses a calculator!