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Why the ACT–TI Calculator Partnership Matters for Your Teen

Texas Instruments and ACT recently released short tutorials showing how to use the TI-84 specifically for ACT math problems. These videos cover real test-day functions—plug-in strategies, the solver, graphing shortcuts, the fraction menu, and value storage. They’re quick, useful, and far more relevant than typical calculator tutorials.


But here’s the real issue: two out of three high school students aren’t using even half of their calculator’s capabilities. And on a speed-based test like the ACT, that costs points.



In Florida, the difference between a 28 and a 30 can mean thousands in Bright Futures money. Most students don’t lose points because they don’t know the math—they lose points because they’re solving everything by hand.



At Niceville Tutoring, we’ve been teaching advanced calculator strategy for years. The ACT videos are a good foundation, but they don’t cover the techniques that consistently move scores: table features for patterns, quick graph setups, solver variations, and simple programming that cuts multi-step problems down to seconds.

If your teen has a TI-84, start with the official videos, then use our free guide to fill in the gaps.


Free TI-84 ACT Calculator Strategy Guide:



A strong calculator strategy won’t replace studying—but it’s one of the fastest ways to pick up 2–3 points on the ACT Math section. If your teen is aiming for Bright Futures or a specific score target, this is one of the easiest wins you can give them.


If you need help building a full ACT prep plan, we’re here to support you.



Author: Rebecca Beard

 Test Prep Instructor & Founder, Niceville Tutoring


 Over 400+ ACT/SAT students served






 
 
 

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