How do you use a scientific calculator?
Type the expression the way you would write it, left to right, then press = or Enter. For a function like sin, press the function key first, then the number, then close the bracket.
The top line of the display shows what you typed and the bottom line shows the answer. That makes it easy to spot a missing bracket before you trust the result. Here is the key order for sin(30) + √16 in DEG mode.
- Press sin. The function opens with a bracket.
- Type 30, then press ) to close the bracket.
- Press +, then √, then type 16 and close the bracket.
- Press =. The answer line shows 9/2, and S⇔D switches it to 4.5.
Close every bracket yourself, especially when you nest functions like sin(√(x)). A bracket in the wrong place changes what gets calculated, and the top line is where you'll catch it.
Why does sin(30) give a different answer in RAD mode?
In DEG mode the calculator reads 30 as 30 degrees, so sin(30) = 0.5. In RAD mode it reads 30 as 30 radians, and sin(30) ≈ −0.988031624093.
Both answers are correct for the angle the calculator thinks you mean. Thirty radians is almost five full turns around the circle, which lands at a very different spot than 30°. Most geometry and triangle homework uses degrees. Precalculus problems written with π, like sin(π/6), use radians, and sin(π/6) = 1/2.
GRAD mode splits a right angle into 100 grads. You will rarely need it in school, but it is there because many handheld models have it. This is the setting to check first whenever a trig calculator gives you an answer that looks wrong.
| Mode | Full turn | sin(30) means |
|---|---|---|
| DEG | 360° | sin of 30 degrees = 0.5 |
| RAD | 2π radians | sin of 30 radians ≈ −0.988 |
| GRAD | 400 grads | sin of 30 grads |
For inverse trig, press SHIFT and then sin to get sin⁻¹. In DEG mode, sin⁻¹(0.5) = 30. The hyp key gives the hyperbolic versions sinh, cosh and tanh.
What order does the calculator use?
It uses the standard order of operations: brackets, then powers and roots, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. So 2 × 3² = 18, because 3² is done before the multiplication.
The trap most people hit is a negative number with a power. Typing −3² gives −9, because the square applies only to the 3 and the minus sign comes after. If you want the negative number squared, type (−3)², which gives 9.
Handheld calculators follow the same rule, so this isn't a quirk of this page. When in doubt, add brackets. They never hurt.
Can this scientific calculator work with fractions?
Yes. It is a scientific calculator with fractions built in: + − × ÷ and whole-number powers keep exact answers. Type 1/3 + 1/4 and you get 7/12 instead of a long decimal.
Press S⇔D to switch the answer between the fraction and its decimal form. For 3/4 + 5/6 the answer is 19/12, which you can also read as the mixed number 1 7/12. Functions like sin, log and √ of a non-square give decimals, since most of those values have no fraction form.
If you need the working for a fraction problem, the fraction calculator shows each step, from the common denominator to the final simplified answer.
How do you enter exponents, roots and scientific notation?
Use x² or x³ for squares and cubes, and xʸ for any other power. As a calculator with exponents, it accepts negative and fractional powers too, so 2 xʸ −3 gives 1/8.
For roots, √ is the square root and ∛ is the cube root. The ʸ√x key takes any other root, such as a fifth root. On the keyboard, ^ works for powers.
EXP enters scientific notation. It means "times ten to the power of", so 3.2 EXP 5 is 3.2 × 10⁵ = 320000. A small number works the same way: 1.5 EXP −3 = 0.0015.
What is the difference between log and ln?
log is the logarithm with base 10 and ln is the natural logarithm with base e. So log(1000) = 3, because 10³ = 1000, while ln(10) ≈ 2.30258509299.
Each one has an inverse on the SHIFT layer. 10ˣ undoes log and eˣ undoes ln. If you take log(7) and then press 10ˣ on the answer, you get back to 7. For other bases, the log calculator handles inputs like log base 2.
How do you find factorials, nCr and nPr?
Type the number and press x! for a factorial: 5! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120. For combinations and permutations, enter the first number, press nCr or nPr, then the second number.
nCr counts groups where order doesn't matter, so nCr(10, 3) = 120 ways to pick 3 people from 10. nPr counts arrangements where order matters, so nPr(5, 2) = 20 ways to award first and second place among 5 runners.
The % key divides by 100, so 25% × 80 = 20. Abs gives the absolute value, which drops the sign of a negative number.
How do memory, Ans and keyboard shortcuts work?
Ans holds your last answer, so you can keep building on it without retyping. M+ adds the displayed value to memory, M− subtracts it, MR recalls it and MC clears it. The history list keeps your earlier results too.
You can type everything on a keyboard. Digits and + − * / work as you'd expect, ^ is a power and ( ) are brackets. Enter or = evaluates, Backspace deletes one character and Escape clears the line. For functions, press s, c or t for sin, cos and tan, l for log, n for ln, r for √, p for π, ! for factorial and % for percent.
When you want to see how an answer was found, press Show steps. It sends the expression to the step-by-step solver, which writes out each stage of the calculation.