Effectively preparing thousands of students for the digital SAT®, we’ve identified the most effective Desmos strategies for tackling a variety of question types. To help students build confidence with Desmos, we’ve created free Desmos handouts designed to improve speed and accuracy on the SAT. You can grab these free resources here.

Why Desmos Matters on the SAT®

Desmos allows you to graph equations, visualize trends, and uncover unknown variables or constants. While Desmos won’t solve every math question for you, it can do a great deal:

✅ Help you quickly test values when working with functions or inequalities
✅ Confirm your answers by visualizing key points like intercepts or vertex coordinates
✅ Simplify questions involving systems of equations, especially in the harder second math module
✅ Assist with specific SAT® functions like finding maximums/minimums, vertex points, and solving quadratic inequalities
✅ Quickly evaluate exponential growth/decay models
✅ Help you identify parallel lines for no solution systems or identify overlapping lines for infinitely many solutions

Knowing when and how to leverage Desmos can mean the difference between spending five minutes struggling with a problem and solving it in seconds.

Key Desmos Strategies for the SAT

1. Graphing Equations with Ease
Instead of manually solving complex equations, graph them in Desmos to identify intercepts, intersection points, or key features. For example, if a question asks, “For what value of x does f(x) = g(x)?” simply graph both functions and identify the intersection point. Desmos makes it easy to visualize solutions.

2. Solving Inequalities Visually
For inequality questions, graph the inequality and observe which parts of the graph are shaded.

3. Finding Maximums, Minimums, and Vertex Points
Many SAT questions ask for maximum or minimum values, especially when dealing with parabolas or real-world scenarios like revenue or profit questions. Desmos’ maximum/minimum feature allows you to instantly identify these points on the graph, saving valuable time.

4. Modeling Equations from Data
For modeling questions, Desmos can generate equations based on points provided in a table or graph. This is especially helpful for exponential functions, quadratics, or linear models that appear on the SAT.

5. Identifying Parallel, Perpendicular, and Overlapping Lines
Desmos makes recognizing system behavior easy. Parallel lines indicate no solution, overlapping lines indicate infinite solutions, and intersecting lines identify unique solutions.

6. Finding Solutions for 1-Variable and Multi-Variable Equations
For both simple and complex equations, entering each side of the equation into Desmos as a system allows you to efficiently identify solutions based on intersection points.

Free Desmos Handouts for SAT Prep

To make these strategies easier to master, we’ve created a set of Desmos handouts that guide you through common SAT question types where Desmos can provide an advantage. These resources include a lot of helpful information:

▶ Step-by-step instructions for graphing linear, quadratic, and exponential functions
▶ Practice questions designed to help you apply Desmos strategies on test-like problems
▶ Tips for balancing Desmos use with traditional math strategies to maximize your score

Final Thoughts

At  COLLEGE SHARKS DIGITAL TEST PREP, we’ve partnered with JJTest Prep and seen firsthand how mastering Desmos can drastically improve a student’s performance on the SAT. While Desmos can’t replace strong math fundamentals, it offers powerful shortcuts and visual insights that can simplify even the most challenging problems. Download our free Desmos handouts here to start building your skills today.

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