What will be on the Digital SAT in August 2026?
Nobody can hand you the exact questions on the August 2026 Digital SAT, and anyone who says they can is selling you something. But the Digital SAT is one of the most predictable tests in the world. The same handful of math topics show up every single administration, in the same shapes, and almost all of them can be solved faster with the built-in Desmos calculator than with algebra by hand. So the useful version of a prediction is this: here are the topics you are almost certain to see on August 22, and the exact Desmos move that turns each one into a few seconds of work.
I made a full video walkthrough of my August 2026 predictions, Desmos hacks and all. Watch it first, then use the breakdown below to practice.
August 2026 SAT Predictions, from Epic Exam Prep (40,000+ subscribers).
245 pages, full color. 57 original practice problems, every technique with the exact keystroke method my teachers use with students scoring 750 and up.
Paperback $34.99 or Kindle $9.99
Your purchase includes all 57 problems worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
First, the honest part
A "prediction" for the Digital SAT is not a leaked question set. It is a read on which topics and question shapes are most likely to appear, based on the pattern of recent tests and the official College Board blueprint. That read is reliable because the test is built to a blueprint, and it is the difference between studying everything in a panic and studying the right things with a plan. The other thing worth knowing: Desmos is available on every math question in both modules now, since there is no longer a no-calculator section. That single fact changes how you should prepare, because speed on the predictable topics is where the points are. For the full decision framework, see our complete guide to using Desmos on the Digital SAT.
The topics you are almost certain to see, and the Desmos hack for each
These are the recurring Digital SAT math topics, with the fast Desmos move for each. Every one of these is worked step by step, with the exact keystrokes, in SAT Desmos Hacks: The EPIC Method, with all 57 problems worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
The topics you are almost certain to see
Every recurring Digital SAT math topic, with the exact Desmos move that turns it into a few seconds of work. Tap a card for the hack.
Two equations, asked for their shared solution or where they meet.
Type both equations. Desmos draws them and labels the intersection point, and that point is your answer. No substitution, no elimination.
Example: The labeled intersection reads (2, 5), so x = 2.
A parabola, asked for its vertex, zeros, maximum, or number of solutions.
Type the quadratic and read the vertex and the x-intercepts straight off the graph. Any max, min, or how-many-solutions question becomes graph and look.
Example: Desmos marks the vertex (3, -4) and the roots x = 1 and x = 5.
An equation of a circle, asked for the center, radius, or which equation matches.
Type the equation exactly as the question gives it. Desmos draws the circle so you read the center and radius directly, or confirm the match.
Example: Center (3, -2), radius 4, read straight off the graph.
A data table or scatterplot, asked for the model or a predicted value.
Put the data in a Desmos table and run a regression. You get the model and any prediction instantly. This is the single biggest time saver on the Math section.
Example: Regression gives y = 3.2x + 5; predict at x = 10 in one step.
A list of values, asked which measure changes or what a measure equals.
Enter the values in a table and let Desmos compute the mean, median, and spread, so a which-measure-changes question is a two-second check.
Example: Adding an outlier moves the mean but not the median, confirmed in seconds.
A defined function, asked for a value or the effect of a shift.
Define the function once, then evaluate it at any point or graph a shifted version to answer transformation questions by sight.
Example: f(x - 2) shifts the graph right by 2, read the new value directly.
The pattern across all six is the same, and it is the whole point of the EPIC Method: the students who score 750 and up are not faster at algebra, they are faster at deciding when to reach for Desmos and when not to. Knowing the technique is not enough. Knowing the decision is what saves the time.
For the one-page reference, see the Desmos SAT cheat sheet.
Practice these before August 22
Reading about a Desmos hack and executing it under a timer are two different things. Two ways to practice, one free and one the full deep dive:
Free: the Desmos SAT cheat sheet and the full how-to-use-Desmos guide. Every technique explained with screenshots, completely free.
The deep dive: SAT Desmos Hacks: The EPIC Method. 245 pages, full color, 57 original problems with the exact keystroke method, plus the EPIC decision framework. Paperback $34.99 or Kindle $9.99. All 57 problems are worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
If you are still deciding whether to sit the August or September test, our August vs September SAT comparison breaks it down. For international students, the August 2026 registration guide covers deadlines and test centers. And if you have a few weeks left, the 51-day SAT study plan maps the most efficient path. For students in Singapore, the Singapore Desmos hacks guide covers the same techniques with local context.
245 pages, full color. 57 original practice problems, every technique with the exact keystroke method my teachers use with students scoring 750 and up.
Paperback $34.99 or Kindle $9.99
Your purchase includes all 57 problems worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
Want a teacher for the last stretch?
If August 22 is close and you want a teacher to find your weak spots fast, Epic Exam Prep has taught SAT students for top universities since 2010, one to one, using the EPIC Method. For IB students weighing whether the SAT is worth the effort, our SAT for IB students guide covers when it helps and when it does not.
Frequently asked questions
When is the August 2026 Digital SAT?
The August 2026 SAT in the United States is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, with scores expected around September 4, 2026. Confirm your exact date and center on your College Board account.
Can anyone actually predict SAT questions?
No. Nobody has the exact questions in advance. What is predictable is the set of topics and question shapes, because the Digital SAT is built to a published blueprint. Preparing for the likely topics, and drilling the Desmos move for each, is what a real prediction is good for.
Is Desmos allowed on the whole SAT Math section?
Yes. The built-in Desmos graphing calculator is available on every math question in both modules of the Digital SAT. There is no longer a no-calculator section, which is why fast, strategic Desmos use is now a major scoring lever.
How can I practice the Desmos hacks?
Start free with the one-page Desmos SAT cheat sheet and the full how-to-use-Desmos guide. The 57 original practice problems, each with a step-by-step Desmos solution, come with the book, SAT Desmos Hacks: The EPIC Method (Kindle or paperback), and are worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
How do I use Desmos without wasting time?
Follow a decision framework rather than reaching for Desmos on every question. The EPIC Method covers exactly when to use it and when to solve by hand, which is the difference between saving time and losing it.
How much is the SAT Desmos Hacks book?
SAT Desmos Hacks: The EPIC Method is $34.99 in paperback and $9.99 on Kindle. Both include all 57 practice problems worked online at desmos.prepdrills.com.
What is in the SAT Desmos Hacks book?
245 full-color pages, 57 original Digital SAT practice problems, and every Desmos technique with the exact keystroke method, plus the EPIC decision framework for when to use Desmos and when to solve by hand.