Scientific Calculator
This scientific calculator supports trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions. Click buttons or type to perform calculations.
For simpler calculations, try our Basic Calculator.
How to Use the Scientific Calculator
Our scientific calculator provides advanced mathematical functions beyond basic arithmetic. It's designed for students, engineers, scientists, and anyone who needs to perform complex calculations involving trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, and more.
Angle Modes: Degrees vs Radians
The calculator supports both degree and radian modes for trigonometric functions. Click DEG or RAD to switch between modes:
- Degrees (DEG) - A full circle is 360°. Most everyday applications use degrees.
- Radians (RAD) - A full circle is 2π radians. Used in calculus and advanced mathematics.
Tip: Make sure you're in the correct angle mode before using trigonometric functions. A common error is calculating sin(90) in radian mode when you meant degrees.
Trigonometric Functions
| Function | Description | Inverse (INV) |
|---|---|---|
| sin | Sine of an angle | sin⁻¹ (arcsine) |
| cos | Cosine of an angle | cos⁻¹ (arccosine) |
| tan | Tangent of an angle | tan⁻¹ (arctangent) |
Logarithmic Functions
| Function | Description | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| ln | Natural logarithm (base e) | logₑ(x) |
| log | Common logarithm (base 10) | log₁₀(x) |
Powers and Roots
| Button | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| x² | Square | 5² = 25 |
| x³ | Cube | 3³ = 27 |
| xʸ | Power (x to the y) | 2^10 = 1024 |
| √ | Square root | √16 = 4 |
| ³√ | Cube root | ³√27 = 3 |
| eˣ | e raised to power x | e¹ ≈ 2.718 |
| 10ˣ | 10 raised to power x | 10³ = 1000 |
Other Functions
- n! - Factorial: the product of all positive integers up to n (e.g., 5! = 120)
- 1/x - Reciprocal: divides 1 by the current value
- |x| - Absolute value: returns the positive magnitude
- π - Pi constant: approximately 3.14159265359
- e - Euler's number: approximately 2.71828182846
- INV - Inverse mode: toggles inverse trig functions
Order of Operations
The calculator follows the standard mathematical order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS):
- Parentheses / Brackets
- Exponents / Orders (powers and roots)
- Multiplication and Division (left to right)
- Addition and Subtraction (left to right)
Example: Calculating Compound Interest
To calculate the future value of $1000 at 5% interest compounded annually for 10 years:
1000 × (1.05)^10 = $1,628.89What is a Scientific Calculator?
A scientific calculator is an electronic calculator designed to calculate problems in science, engineering, and mathematics. Unlike basic calculators, scientific calculators support:
- Trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent and their inverses)
- Logarithmic and exponential functions
- Powers and roots
- Factorial calculations
- Scientific notation for very large or small numbers
- Memory functions for storing intermediate results
- Parentheses for complex expressions
The first scientific calculators appeared in the 1970s, revolutionizing how students and professionals performed complex calculations. Today, online scientific calculators provide the same functionality with greater accessibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between DEG and RAD mode?
DEG (degrees) measures angles where a full circle is 360 degrees. RAD (radians) measures angles where a full circle is 2 pi (approximately 6.28). Use DEG for everyday problems and RAD for calculus and physics. For example, sin(90) in DEG mode equals 1, but in RAD mode it equals approximately 0.894.
How do I calculate inverse trig functions like arcsin?
Press the INV (inverse) button first, then press the trig function. For example, to find arcsin(0.5), press INV then sin, then enter 0.5. The result is 30 degrees (or pi/6 radians). Inverse functions find the angle when you know the ratio.
What does the EXP or EE button do?
The EXP (or EE) button enters numbers in scientific notation. Pressing 3 EXP 8 enters 3 x 10 to the 8th power (300,000,000). This is useful for very large or small numbers like the speed of light (3E8 m/s) or Planck's constant (6.626E-34).
Why does my calculator show 'Error' or 'undefined'?
Common causes include: dividing by zero, taking the square root of a negative number (in real mode), log of zero or negative numbers, tan of 90 degrees (undefined), or domain errors in inverse trig functions. Check your input values are within the valid range for each function.