A calculator that shows its working
Most online calculators give you a number and nothing else. This one reads the whole sum you type, works it out in the proper order, and lists every step it took, so you can see where the answer came from. It handles everyday arithmetic and the scientific keys you would find on a school calculator: sine, cosine and tangent, logarithms, powers, roots, factorials, π and e.
You can tap the on-screen keys, type with a keyboard, or paste a sum in. Press = or Enter and the answer joins a list for this visit, which is handy when you are working through a problem one step at a time. The list lives only in this page and disappears when you close it.
How to use it
- Type a sum or tap the keys, for example
2 + 3 × 4orsin(30) + 1. - Choose Degrees or Radians for angles. Degrees is right for most homework; radians for calculus.
- Read the answer as you type. The Read as line shows how the sum was understood, with any hidden multiplication written in.
- Press = or Enter to keep the answer in the list. Tap an earlier line to bring its sum back, or use Ans to carry the last kept answer into the next sum.
Order of operations
The calculator follows the usual rule: brackets first, then powers and roots, then multiplication and division from left to right, then addition and subtraction from left to right. Some people remember it as PEMDAS or BODMAS.
2 + 3 × 4 = 2 + 12 = 14
(2 + 3) × 4 = 5 × 4 = 20
−2^2 = −(2^2) = −4
2^3^2 = 2^9 = 512 (powers are worked out from the right)A number written next to a bracket, a name or a constant is multiplied, so 2π, 3(4 + 1) and 2 sin(30) all work. The % key divides by 100, so 200 × 15% is 30. Factorials work for whole numbers from 0 to 170, and answers are shown to 12 significant figures.
Worked example: the area of a circle
A round table has a radius of 3 feet. Its area is π times the radius squared, so type π × 3^2.
- The calculator works out the power first: 3^2 = 9
- Then the multiplication: 3.1415926536 × 9 = 28.2743338823
The table top is about 28.27 square feet. Press = to keep the answer, then type Ans ÷ 9 to turn it into square yards: about 3.14. For bigger area jobs the area calculator has ready-made shapes.
What the keys do
| Key | Type it as | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sin, cos, tan | sin(30) | sin(30) = 0.5 in degrees |
| asin, acos, atan | asin(0.5) | asin(0.5) = 30 in degrees |
| xʸ (power) | 2^10 | 1,024 |
| √ (square root) | sqrt(144) or √144 | 12 |
| log (base 10) | log(1000) | 3 |
| ln (natural log) | ln(e) | 1 |
| n! (factorial) | 5! | 120 |
| % (percent) | 15% | 0.15 |
There are a few extras without their own key: log2(), cbrt() for cube roots, abs(), exp(), floor(), ceil(), round(), and sinh(), cosh() and tanh().
Common slip-ups
- Being in the wrong angle mode. sin(30) is 0.5 in degrees but about −0.99 in radians. Check the Angles setting first.
- Missing a bracket.
1 ÷ 2 × 3is 1.5, while1 ÷ (2 × 3)is about 0.167. The Read as line shows exactly how your sum was grouped. - Squaring a negative without brackets.
−3^2is −9;(−3)^2is 9. - Expecting % to add a percent.
50 + 10%here is 50.1, because 10% is 0.1. To add 10% to 50, type50 × 1.1or use the percentage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is this calculator free to use?
Yes, completely. There is no signup, no limit on how many sums you work out and no advert in the way. Everything runs in your browser, so the sums you type are not sent anywhere. Bookmark the page and it works like a calculator you keep in a tab.
How do I switch between degrees and radians?
Use the Angles setting under the sum. Degrees is the default because it is what most everyday and school problems use. Choose Radians for calculus, physics and anything written with π in the angle, such as sin(π/2). The answer updates the moment you switch.
Can it show answers as fractions?
When the answer is a simple fraction, yes. Type 0.375 or 3 ÷ 8 and the extra lines show 3/8 as well as the decimal. For adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers with every step, the fraction calculator is better suited.
How big a number can it handle?
Each number you type can have up to 15 digits, and answers can go far higher: anything up to about 1.8 × 10^308 is shown, in scientific notation once it passes a quadrillion. The calculator keeps 12 significant figures, which is more than a typical school calculator shows.
Does it keep a history of my sums?
Only while the page is open. Press = or Enter to add an answer to the list under the result, and tap a line to reuse its sum. The list is not saved or sent anywhere, so it is gone when you close or reload the page. Copy result or Copy link keep a single answer.
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