The GED® test gives you an onscreen calculator modeled on the TI-30XS. You get it in the second part of the math test and on certain Science and Social Studies items. At a test center you may bring your own TI-30XS. If you test online, no physical calculator is allowed, so the onscreen one is the only one you will have. All of this comes from the Test Subjects page on ged.com and the online testing page.
Which calculator the GED® test uses
The test provides an onscreen scientific calculator, and ged.com names the TI-30XS as the model you may bring to a test center (Test Subjects). The pages we checked name that model and no other. Don't assume a graphing calculator, a phone or a different scientific model will be accepted.
"TI-30XS" names the device only. Prepanchor is an independent publisher and isn't connected to Texas Instruments or to GED Testing Service.
Where you get a calculator
- Math: the onscreen calculator is available in part 2. At a test center, the 3-minute break between the two math parts is for retrieving your own calculator.
- Science and Social Studies: the onscreen calculator and the calculator reference sheet are provided, and a personal TI-30XS is allowed at a test center.
Is the calculator ever off limits?
Yes. Some math items are no-calculator items. GED's own math page notes this in a sample item. We won't give you a count, because the pages we checked don't publish one, and numbers quoted on other sites conflict. The safe habit is to do small arithmetic in your head or on scratch paper (the onscreen whiteboard if you test online) and save the calculator for longer work.
Test center vs online testing
| Test center | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Onscreen calculator | Yes | Yes |
| Your own TI-30XS | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Calculator reference sheet | Yes, on most math items and certain Science and Social Studies items | Yes, the same |
| Onscreen scratch pad and whiteboard | Not covered on the pages we checked | Yes, in place of paper |
Sources: Test Subjects, the calculator reference sheet and Take the GED Test Online, checked 26 October 2026. If you plan to test from home, practice with the onscreen tools, because there is no handheld calculator to fall back on. Our online test guide covers the rest of the requirements.
Practice the onscreen calculator for free
ged.com offers free interactive calculator tutorials in English and Spanish, listed on its classroom materials page. Spend a session clicking through them with the drills below open beside you.
Two more free resources:
- The two-page calculator reference sheet from ged.com. It appears on most math items and on certain Science and Social Studies items, and it shows key sequences for things like order of operations, percentages and fractions. A Spanish reference guide PDF also exists.
- Our guide to the math formula sheet, for the formulas the calculator can't supply.
If you want a structured course built around these skills, see the Prepanchor Scientific Calculator Mini-Course for the GED® Test.
Ten keystroke drills
These are original examples, not test questions. Key names are in quotation marks. Some functions, such as the square root, sit above another key: press "2nd" first to use them. Find each key on the calculator or the reference sheet before you start. If a key name here doesn't match what you see, trust the reference sheet or the tutorial. Do each drill twice and check that your display matches.
- Order of operations. Work out 18 - 4 × (3 + 2). Enter it exactly as written, including both parentheses. Expected result: -2. (Multiplying the bracket first gives 20, and 18 minus 20 is -2.)
- Negatives. Work out (-7) × (-6) + (-15). Use the "(-)" key for each negative sign, not the minus key. Expected result: 27.
- Fractions. Add 3/4 + 5/6. Use the "n/d" key for each fraction and move the cursor out of the denominator before pressing "+". Expected result: 19/12. Press the fraction/decimal toggle to see 1.583333333.
- Fraction of a number. Work out 5/8 of 24 by entering 5/8 × 24. Expected result: 15.
- Percent of a number. Find 15% of 80. If you aren't sure of the percent key, enter 0.15 × 80. Expected result: 12.
- Percent increase. A price of 64 goes up 25%. Enter 64 × 1.25. Expected result: 80. (Multiplying by 1 plus the percent as a decimal does the increase in one step.)
- Powers. Work out 7² - 3³. Use the "x²" key for the square and the "^" key for the cube. Expected result: 22. For a bigger power, try 2^10, which gives 1024.
- Square roots. Work out the square root of (9 + 16). Press "2nd" and then "x²" (the square root is printed above it), type 9 + 16 inside the root, and close the parentheses. Expected result: 5.
- Scientific notation. Multiply 3.2 × 10^4 by 2 × 10^3. Use the "×10ⁿ" key for each power of ten. Expected result: 64000000, which shows as 6.4 × 10^7 if the display is set to scientific notation.
- Pi and a power. Find the area of a circle with radius 6, which is π × 6². Use the π key, then "x²" on the 6. Expected result: about 113.0973355. Round to 113.1 if a question asks for one decimal place.
Calculator mistakes that cost points
Using the minus key for a negative number
The subtract key and the "(-)" key are different. Pressing subtract to start a negative number usually produces an error or the wrong answer. Try 5 - (-3): you should get 8, because subtracting a negative adds.
Skipping parentheses
The calculator follows order of operations, which is why parentheses matter.
- The square root of 9 + 16 is 5, but entering the root of 9 and then adding 16 gives 19.
- Entering a negative base needs brackets: (-2)^4 is 16, while -2^4 means the negative of 2^4, which is -16.
- A fraction bar with a sum on top needs the whole top grouped, or the bottom will divide only the last number.
Misreading fraction and decimal displays
A fraction answer is not wrong just because it isn't a decimal. Use the toggle to switch, then check what the question asks for. Rounding too early is a common slip: keep the full display until the last step, then round.
Should you buy a TI-30XS?
For: you build speed on the keys you will see on test day, and at a test center you may bring it, as the Test Subjects page says. Using the same keys in your practice that you will use in the room means no surprises.
Against: the onscreen calculator is provided, so a handheld isn't required. If you test online, you can't use one at all. Prices vary by store, and we don't list one here.
A middle path is to learn on the free tutorial first. Buy one only if you test at a center and want to practice on real keys.
Looking for a GED score calculator or GED GPA?
This page is about the math calculator. If you searched for a "GED score calculator" or a way to turn a GED into a GPA, we don't offer a converter. Our GED passing score guide explains how scores work and where to find the current numbers.
Calculator FAQ
Can you use a calculator on the GED?
Yes, in the second part of the math test and on certain Science and Social Studies items. Some math items don't allow it.
Can I bring my own calculator?
At a test center you may bring a TI-30XS. Online, physical calculators aren't allowed.
Is there a free GED calculator online?
Yes. ged.com's free tutorials, linked above, let you practice on the onscreen version.
Do I need a TI-84 for geometry?
No. ged.com names the TI-30XS and the onscreen calculator, so a graphing model isn't something to plan around.
How do I get better with the calculator?
Work through the free tutorial, then redo the ten drills until you can enter each without hunting for a key. Pair that with real math practice, such as the free diagnostic on our free GED math page.