Full-featured scientific calculator with trigonometric functions
A scientific calculator is an advanced calculator designed to perform complex mathematical calculations including trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponentials, and more. It extends beyond basic arithmetic to support scientific notation, statistical calculations, and algebraic operations.
The trigonometric keys follow the angle mode shown on the keypad. In Deg mode the number you enter is read as degrees and converted to radians before the sine, cosine or tangent is taken; in Rad mode it is used as entered. Inverse functions are converted back the same way, so the mode changes the answer to every trig calculation, and a result that looks wrong is often just the wrong mode.
| Calculation | Expression | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Addition | 5 + 3 + 12.5 | 20.5 |
| Subtraction | 12.5 - 5 - 3 | 4.5 |
| Multiplication | 5 × 3 | 15 |
| Division | 5 ÷ 3 | 1.66666667 |
| Percentage | 30% × 200 | 60 |
| Power | 2^8 | 256 |
| Square root | √144 | 12 |
| Sine | sin(30°) | 0.5 |
| Cosine | cos(60°) | 0.5 |
| Logarithm | log(100) | 2 |
| sin(90) in Deg mode | sin(90°) | 1 |
| sin(90) in Rad mode | sin(90 rad) | 0.8940 |
The order of operations follows PEMDAS/BODMAS: Parentheses/Brackets first, then Exponents/Orders, followed by Multiplication and Division (left to right), and finally Addition and Subtraction (left to right). This ensures consistent results across all calculations.
Log (common logarithm) uses base 10, while ln (natural logarithm) uses base e (approximately 2.71828). Log₁₀(100) = 2 because 10² = 100. Ln(e) = 1 because e¹ = e. Natural logarithms are commonly used in calculus and exponential growth calculations.
Trigonometric functions (sin, cos, tan) relate angles to ratios of sides in right triangles. Sine = opposite/hypotenuse, Cosine = adjacent/hypotenuse, Tangent = opposite/adjacent. They're essential for geometry, physics, and engineering calculations.
Scientific notation expresses very large or small numbers as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. For example, 5,000,000 = 5 × 10⁶ and 0.00003 = 3 × 10⁻⁵. This makes calculations with extreme values more manageable.
Factorial multiplies a number by all positive integers below it. For example, 5! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120. Factorials are used in probability, combinations, and permutations. Note that 0! = 1 by definition.
Square root (√) finds a number that when multiplied by itself gives the original number. For other roots, use fractional exponents: cube root of x = x^(1/3), fourth root = x^(1/4). For example, ∛27 = 27^(1/3) = 3.
In Deg mode 90 means 90 degrees, and sin(90°) is 1. In Rad mode 90 means 90 radians, and sin(90) is about 0.8940. The keys are identical; only the angle mode differs.