Scientific Calculator — trig, logs, powers, and roots

How it works

The scientific calculator evaluates your whole expression at once, following the standard order of operations: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. Beyond the four basic operations it adds:

• Trigonometry — sin, cos, tan and their inverses sin⁻¹, cos⁻¹, tan⁻¹. Press a function to insert it (for example sin(), type the argument, and close the parenthesis. The Deg / Rad toggle sets whether angles are read in degrees or radians (π radians = 180°).
• Logarithms — ln is the natural logarithm (base e); log is base 10.
• Powers and roots — ^ raises to a power (2^10 = 1024), and √ takes a square root.
• Factorial — x! multiplies a whole number by every whole number below it (5! = 120).
• Constants — π (about 3.14159) and e (about 2.71828).

Use parentheses to control the order, and = to evaluate. Powers are right-associative, so 2^3^2 is 2^(3^2) = 512.

Worked example

To evaluate sin(30) + 2^3 in degree mode: the sine of 30° is 0.5, and 2^3 is 8, so the total is 0.5 + 8 = 8.5. Switching to radian mode instead reads the 30 as 30 radians, so sin(30) becomes about −0.988 — which is why the Deg / Rad setting matters.

Frequently asked questions

How do I enter a function like sin or log?

Press the function key to insert its name and an opening parenthesis — for example `sin(` — then type the argument and close the parenthesis: `sin(30)`. The same works for cos, tan, their inverses, ln, log, and √.

What is the difference between degrees and radians?

They are two ways to measure angles: a full turn is 360 degrees or 2π radians, so π radians = 180°. In degree mode `sin(30)` is `0.5`; in radian mode the 30 is treated as 30 radians, giving about `−0.988`. Use the Deg / Rad toggle to pick the one your problem uses.

What do ln and log mean?

**ln** is the natural logarithm, with base e (about 2.71828), so `ln(e) = 1`. **log** is the common logarithm, with base 10, so `log(1000) = 3`.

How do I raise a number to a power?

Use the **^** key: `2^10` is `1024`. Powers are evaluated right to left, so `2^3^2` means `2^(3^2) = 2^9 = 512`, not `(2^3)^2`.

What are π and e?

**π** (pi, about 3.14159) is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and **e** (about 2.71828) is the base of the natural logarithm. Press their keys to insert the exact constant into your expression, as in `2 × π` or `e^2`.

Does it follow the order of operations?

Yes. Multiplication and division are done before addition and subtraction, exponents before those, and anything in parentheses first — so `2 + 3 × 4` is `14`. Group terms in parentheses whenever you need a different order.