TI-89EXAM RULES
Is the TI-89 Allowed on the AP Calculus Exam, SAT, ACT and FE?
Is the TI-89 allowed on the AP Calculus exam? Yes. Is the TI-89 Titanium allowed on the SAT, the ACT or the FE exam? No. Each test writes its own calculator policy, and the TI-89 lands on different sides of them because it has a computer algebra system (CAS).
Below are the rules as of October 2026, each with a link to the official page. Policies change between school years, so check the linked page again in the weeks before your test.
The rules at a glance
| Exam | TI-89 Titanium handheld | Phone apps, including Calc89 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB and BC | Permitted (on the approved list) | Not permitted | College Board AP |
| AP Physics 1, 2 and C | Permitted | Not permitted | College Board AP |
| SAT and PSAT | Not permitted since August 2025 (CAS) | Not permitted | College Board SAT |
| ACT | Not permitted (CAS) | Not permitted | ACT |
| FE exam (NCEES) | Not permitted (not on the list) | Not permitted | NCEES |
One rule holds for every exam in the table: phone and tablet apps are not permitted. That includes Calc89 and every other calculator app.
AP Calculus and AP Physics: permitted
The College Board keeps a list of approved graphing calculators, and as of October 2026 the TI-89 Titanium is on it. The AP Exams Calculator Policy states: "Only approved graphing calculators from the list are permitted for AP Calculus Exams." Under Texas Instruments the list includes the TI-89 Titanium.
For AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C, the policy allows a "4-function, scientific, or graphing calculator", so the TI-89 Titanium is allowed there as well. The AP exams run in the Bluebook testing app, which also offers a built-in Desmos calculator. You may still bring an approved handheld.
What is not allowed at AP exams, according to the same page: "Phones, smart glasses, smartwatches, or wearable technology of any kind". Other AP subjects have their own rules, so look up your subject on the policy page.
If you take AP Calculus with a TI-89 Titanium, practice the key sequences you will need on test day. The derivative and the integral sit on the second layer of the number keys:
The AP Calculus keystroke guide walks through the typical exam tasks.
SAT: not permitted since August 2025
The SAT calculator policy now says: "Calculators with CAS (computer algebra system) functionality are no longer allowed for tests within the SAT Suite". The list of prohibited calculators names "all model numbers that begin with TI-89 or TI-92 or have "CAS" in the model name." The change applies since the August 2025 SAT, so older advice that the TI-89 is fine on the SAT is out of date.
The same rule covers the PSAT tests of the SAT Suite. The policy also lists "Cell phone calculator apps" as prohibited. For the SAT, bring an approved graphing calculator without CAS, or use the Desmos calculator built into the digital test.
ACT: not permitted
The ACT calculator policy states: "Calculators with built-in or downloaded computer algebra system (CAS) functionality are prohibited, including:" and then lists "All model numbers beginning with TI-89 or TI-92". The TI-Nspire CAS is prohibited too, while the TI-Nspire without CAS is permitted. Calculators built into cell phones are on the prohibited list as well.
Check your calculator against that list well before test day, and leave the TI-89 at home for the ACT.
FE exam (NCEES): not permitted
For the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, NCEES does not ban a category of calculators. It allows a short list instead: "The following calculator models are the only ones acceptable for use on exams through 2027:". The list names the Casio fx-115 and fx-991 lines, the HP 33s and HP 35s, and for Texas Instruments "All TI-30X and TI-36X models".
The TI-89 Titanium is not on that list, and neither is any graphing calculator. If you do your coursework on a TI-89, practice with one of the listed scientific models in the months before the FE, so it feels familiar on exam day.
Why the TI-89 is treated differently
The deciding feature is the CAS. A TI-89 Titanium can solve x^2=9 for x exactly, factor a polynomial or find an antiderivative with symbols. The SAT and the ACT want students to do that algebra themselves, so they exclude every calculator that can. The AP Calculus exams are designed with graphing calculators in mind and allow approved CAS models. The FE takes the strictest route and permits only named scientific models.
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| solve(x^2=9,x) | x=−3 or x=3 |
| factor(x^2-1) | (x−1)·(x+1) |
| ∫(x,x) | x2/2 |
These are the kinds of exact answers that put a calculator on the CAS side of a policy.
In Calc89: for homework and practice, not for exams
Calc89 is a CAS graphing calculator app intended for use with TI-89 Titanium. It uses the same command names and key sequences, so it is a good way to practice for AP Calculus at home and to do coursework when the handheld is not with you. The camera scanner reads a problem from your worksheet, and the tutor shows the exact keys step by step, which you then type on the TI-89 Titanium on test day.
Because it is a phone app, Calc89 is not permitted on the AP exams, the SAT, the ACT or the FE. Use it to learn and check your work, and see ∫( and d( for the commands you will use most in AP Calculus.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TI-89 allowed on the AP Calculus exam?
Yes. As of October 2026 the TI-89 Titanium is on the College Board list of approved graphing calculators for the AP Calculus exams. Phones and apps are not allowed.
Is the TI-89 allowed on the SAT?
No. Since August 2025 the SAT no longer allows calculators with CAS functionality, and that includes all models that begin with TI-89 (status October 2026).
Is the TI-89 allowed on the ACT?
No. As of October 2026 the ACT prohibits calculators with computer algebra system functionality, including all model numbers beginning with TI-89 or TI-92.
Is the TI-89 allowed on the FE exam?
No. As of October 2026 NCEES accepts only listed models: the Casio fx-115 and fx-991 lines, the HP 33s and 35s, and the TI-30X and TI-36X lines. The TI-89 is not among them.
Related pages
- /guides/ti-89-ap-calculus/
- /ti-89-alternative/
- /guides/ti-89-keystrokes-basics/
- /commands/integral/
- /commands/d/
More from the blog
- TI-89 Titanium vs TI-Nspire CAS: Which CAS Do You Need for Engineering?Keys, display, documents, CAS power and exam rules: how the TI-89 Titanium and the TI-Nspire CAS differ, and which one fits engineering.
- TI-89 vs TI-84 for Calculus: What a CAS AddsExact symbolic answers versus numeric ones, side by side: what the TI-89 Titanium adds over the TI-84 and when each one makes sense.
- Taylor Series, Sums and Sequences on the TI-89taylor( for Taylor polynomials, Σ( for sigma notation, sum( and seq( for lists, plus partial sums, products and infinite series on the TI-89 Titanium.