Which calculator is allowed in IGCSE Maths?
Edexcel 4MA1 allows a calculator in both papers. Cambridge 0580 allows none in Papers 1 and 2, and a scientific calculator in Papers 3 and 4. A Casio ClassWiz (fx-991EX or fx-991CW) suits both.
What the rules say
| Exam | Calculator rule |
|---|---|
| Edexcel International GCSE 4MA1 | A calculator may be used in every paper (1F, 2F, 1H, 2H). Prohibited in all papers: calculators with databanks, retrieval of text or formulae, QWERTY keyboards, built-in symbolic algebra manipulations, or symbolic differentiation or integration. Source: Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A (4MA1) specification, Issue 2 (PDF) |
| Cambridge IGCSE 0580 | Papers 1 and 2: calculators are not allowed. Papers 3 and 4: a scientific calculator is required. Source: Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 syllabus 2025–2027 (PDF) |
| Cambridge Handbook (all Cambridge exams) | Unless the syllabus says otherwise, Cambridge does not allow calculators with a graphic display, data banks, dictionaries, language translators, retrieval or manipulation of text or formulae, QWERTY keyboards, built-in symbolic algebra or symbolic differentiation or integration, or remote communication. Candidates must clear any information and programs stored in the memory before and after the exam. Source: Cambridge Handbook 2026, section 5.1.7.1 Calculators (PDF) |
So a graphic calculator (fx-CG50, TI-84 Plus CE, TI-Nspire CX II) is not one for Cambridge 0580. For 4MA1, check a graphic calculator with your exams officer before the exam.
Source: Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 syllabus 2025–2027 (PDF) · Cambridge Handbook 2026, section 5.1.7.1 Calculators (PDF)
Is my calculator allowed? A one-minute check
- No CAS. If the name has CAS in it (TI-Nspire CX II CAS) or it is a Casio ClassPad, it can do symbolic algebra, and that is not allowed.
- No keyboard, no wireless. A QWERTY keyboard, or a way to talk to other devices, rules it out.
- Nothing stored. Notes, programs or formulas you can call up are not allowed: reset it or use exam mode, as your school says.
- Ask your exams officer if you are not sure. They check calculators against the board's current rules.
Steps 1 to 3 are the rules in the table above, in short. They apply only to papers that allow a calculator.
Questions
Is a calculator allowed in IGCSE 0580 Paper 2?
No. Cambridge 0580 Papers 1 and 2 do not allow a calculator. Papers 3 and 4 need a scientific calculator.
Can I use a graphic calculator in Cambridge IGCSE Maths?
Not in 0580. The Cambridge Handbook does not allow a graphic display unless the syllabus says otherwise, and the 0580 syllabus asks for a scientific calculator.
Is a calculator allowed in Edexcel 4MA1?
Yes, in every paper. The specification bans calculators with databanks, retrieval of text or formulae, QWERTY keyboards, or built-in symbolic algebra, differentiation or integration.
More calculator help for exam day
What else is free here
- IGCSE revision notesEvery Edexcel 4MA1 sub-topic in plain English, with a worked example.
- Past papers and mark schemesLinks to the boards' own papers, with a timer and topic practice.
- Formula sheets (PDF)Edexcel 4MA1 and Cambridge 0580 on one page each, marking what the exam paper gives you.
- Where students lose marksA summary of the examiners' published reports, so you avoid the common slips.
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Sources
Every keystroke on this page comes from the manufacturer's own guide for that model, and every exam rule from the exam board's own document; each section names its source. Where we could not find a step in one of those documents, we have left it out. IGCSE Math Revision is independent and is not connected to Casio, Texas Instruments or any exam board.