Scientific Calculator
A scientific calculator with trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions.
Comment ça marche
This calculator extends basic arithmetic with the functions needed for algebra, trigonometry, and general science and engineering work: trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent and their inverses), logarithms, square roots, powers, and the mathematical constants π and e.
Trig functions can be evaluated in either degrees or radians, toggled with the DEG/RAD switch. In degree mode, sin(30) = 0.5, since 30° is a standard angle; in radian mode, that same input is treated as 30 radians (a much larger angle, wrapping around the circle almost 5 times), giving a completely different result. Mixing up degrees and radians is the single most common source of "wrong" scientific calculator answers.
Logarithms come in a few flavors here: log (base 10, useful for orders of magnitude and scientific notation), ln (natural log, base e, common in calculus and growth/decay problems), with e itself equal to approximately 2.71828. The sqrt function returns the square root, and exponents (powers) let you raise any number to any power, including fractional and negative exponents.
Standard order of operations applies throughout — multiplication and division happen before addition and subtraction, and parentheses override the default order, so you can nest expressions like a scientific calculator or spreadsheet formula would expect.
This tool is built for quick calculations: checking homework, verifying a formula by hand before trusting a spreadsheet, or running a fast trigonometry or logarithm calculation without opening a heavier tool. It supports full keyboard input, so typing an expression and pressing Enter works the same as clicking the on-screen buttons.
Inverse trig functions (arcsin, arccos, arctan) answer the reverse question from sin/cos/tan: instead of "what's the sine of this angle," they ask "what angle has this sine value." arcsin(0.5) returns 30° (in degree mode), the inverse of the sin(30) = 0.5 example above. The abs (absolute value) function simply strips any negative sign, returning a number's distance from zero regardless of direction.
Degrees or radians?
Use the DEG/RAD toggle to switch how trig functions interpret angles.
What functions are supported?
sin, cos, tan, their inverses, sqrt, log (base 10), ln (natural log), exp, and abs.
What do arcsin, arccos, and arctan do?
They're the inverse trig functions — instead of taking an angle and returning a ratio, they take a ratio and return the angle that produces it. arcsin(0.5) returns 30° in degree mode.
What does the abs function do?
It returns the absolute value — a number with any negative sign removed, representing its distance from zero. abs(-7) and abs(7) both return 7.
How do I calculate the sine, cosine, or tangent of an angle?
Make sure DEG mode is selected if you're entering degrees, then type the function followed by the angle, e.g. sin(30) for the sine of 30 degrees.
What's the difference between log and ln?
log is base-10 logarithm (asking "10 to what power gives this number?"), while ln is the natural logarithm, base e (asking "e to what power gives this number?"). Both are common in different fields — log in engineering and science, ln in calculus and finance.
Can I use parentheses to control order of operations?
Yes — parentheses work exactly as in standard math notation, letting you group operations to override the default order (multiplication/division before addition/subtraction).
What is Euler's number (e) used for?
e (≈2.71828) is the base of natural logarithms and appears throughout continuous growth and decay problems — compound interest, population growth, and radioactive decay all involve e in their underlying math.
Why am I getting a different answer than my phone's calculator?
The most common cause is a degrees/radians mismatch on a trig function — double-check the DEG/RAD toggle matches the mode your other calculator is using.
Does this support scientific notation?
Very large or small results are displayed in a readable format automatically; for input, write scientific notation as a multiplication and power, e.g. 3 × 10^8 for the speed of light in m/s.
Can I use my keyboard instead of clicking buttons?
Yes — number keys, operator keys, Enter for equals, and Backspace/Escape to edit or clear all work the same as the on-screen buttons.