The College Board allows the use of specific calculating devices during the administration of the SAT. These devices are tools intended to assist examinees in solving mathematical problems that are part of the test’s curriculum. An example would be a scientific or graphing calculator used to compute trigonometric functions or plot graphs, respectively.
The allowance of these tools aims to level the playing field, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to utilize computational aids. Historically, the SAT has evolved to reflect changes in educational curricula and technological advancements. Allowing calculators acknowledges their widespread integration into mathematics instruction and reduces the emphasis on rote memorization and manual computation. This, in turn, allows the test to focus more on conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.