A scientific calculator handles powers, roots, trigonometry and logarithms as well as basic arithmetic. Formula: Depends on op: a+b, a-b, a × b, a/b, a^b, sqrt(a), sin/cos/tan(a degrees), ln(a), log10(a). 16 to the power 2 is 256, the sine of 30° is 0.5 and log₁₀ 1000 is 3.
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How to use the scientific calculator
- Enter value A.
- Enter value B for two-number operations.
- Choose the operation.
- Read the result.
How the scientific calculator works
The scientific calculator takes one or two numbers, A and B, and one operation. It covers the functions you most often need beyond basic arithmetic:
- Add, subtract, multiply and divide A and B
- Power: A raised to B
- Square root of A
- Sine, cosine and tangent of A, in degrees
- Natural log (ln) and common log (log₁₀) of A
B is used only for the two-number operations. Results are shown to 8 decimal places. The tool refuses division by zero, the square root of a negative number and the log of zero or a negative number.
Scientific calculator worked example
Enter A = 16, B = 2 and choose power. The scientific calculator returns 16² = 256. Choose sin with A = 30 to get 0.5, since the sine of 30° is one half. Choose ln with A = 10 to get 2.30258509, and log10 with A = 1000 to get 3. The table shows more examples.
| A | B | Operation | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2 | pow | 256 |
| 30 | sin | 0.5 | |
| 60 | cos | 0.5 | |
| 45 | tan | 1 | |
| 10 | ln | 2.30258509 | |
| 1000 | log10 | 3 |
Degrees, not radians
The trig functions take A in degrees. Many textbook problems in calculus use radians, where a full turn is 2π rather than 360°. To convert, multiply radians by 180 ÷ π; 1 radian is about 57.2958°. The degrees to radians converter does this for you. Results can show tiny errors, such as 0.49999999 instead of 0.5, from floating-point arithmetic.
Tangent near 90°
The tangent is undefined at 90°, 270° and every 180° from there, because the cosine is zero. The scientific calculator reduces the angle to 0–360° and shows an error at those angles instead of a huge number. At exact multiples of 90° it also returns exact values, so sin 180° and cos 90° show 0. Close to 90°, such as 89.9°, the tangent is large but defined.
Logarithms
The natural log uses base e ≈ 2.71828 and appears in growth and decay problems. The common log uses base 10 and appears in pH, decibels and the Richter scale. To find a log in another base, divide: log₂ 8 = ln 8 ÷ ln 2 = 3. The log calculator does this directly.
Powers and roots
The power operation handles fractional and negative exponents. 27 to the power 1/3, entered as 0.33333333, is about 3, and 2 to the power −1 is 0.5. For exact roots, the root calculator is easier. The square root option needs A of zero or more.
Order of operations
The scientific calculator does one operation at a time, so for a longer expression work from the inside out, following the usual order: brackets, exponents, multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. Write down each intermediate result, or keep full precision by copying it, to avoid rounding errors.
Everyday problems it solves
Students use it for physics and chemistry homework: the height of a tree from a 35° sightline and a 20 m distance is 20 × tan 35° ≈ 14.0 m. Savers use powers for compound growth: 1.05 to the power 10 is about 1.629, so money at 5% grows about 63% in ten years. Sound engineers use log10 for decibels, and biologists use ln for growth rates. Each of these is one or two steps with the right operation.
Precision and display
The tool shows 8 decimal places, which is more than most problems need. Round the final answer to match the precision of your inputs. If you measured an angle to the nearest degree, two or three significant figures in the answer are usually enough.
Tips
- Enter angles in degrees.
- Use the change-of-base rule for other logs.
- Do long expressions one step at a time.
- Check results that look odd, such as tan 90°, against the rules above.
Related converters and calculators
Related calculators:
- Basic calculator: arithmetic
- Log calculator: any base
- Root calculator: nth roots
- Degrees to radians: angle units
Sources
OpenStax Algebra and Trigonometry 2e, 7.2: Right triangle trigonometry; OpenStax Precalculus 2e, 4.3: Logarithmic functions; NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions, §4.2: Logarithms.
Formula and method
Results by operation: A + B, A − B, A × B, A ÷ B, A^B, √A, sin/cos/tan(A in degrees), ln(A), log10(A).
Trig functions convert degrees to radians via a*pi/180 before Math.sin/cos/tan. Unary ops ignore b.
Questions about this calculator
Are angles in degrees or radians?
Degrees.
What operations are there?
Add, subtract, multiply, divide, power, square root, sin, cos, tan, ln and log10.
What happens at tan 90°?
The tool reports that tangent is undefined there.
How do I find log base 2?
Divide ln x by ln 2.
How many decimals does it show?
8.
Check the assumptions and units before relying on a result. Financial, tax and health estimates do not replace advice for your individual circumstances.
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