Trig functions, powers, roots, logs, and memory keys — all in one calculator that runs right in your browser.
Switch between Deg and Rad before using sin, cos, tan, or their inverse functions, depending on which unit your angle is in. Use Ans to reuse your last result in a new expression, and M+/M-/MR to store a running total.
A basic calculator only handles the four core operations — addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. A scientific calculator adds trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent and their inverses), logarithms, exponents, roots, factorials, and constants like π and e. These extra functions are essential for algebra, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering coursework, where problems routinely involve angles, exponential growth, or logarithmic scales that a plain four-function calculator simply can't compute.
Angles can be measured in two common units: degrees, where a full circle is 360°, and radians, where a full circle is 2π (about 6.28318). Most everyday and geometry contexts use degrees, while calculus and higher physics almost always use radians. The mode toggle on this calculator (Deg/Rad) tells it how to interpret the number you enter into sin, cos, or tan. Entering the same number in the wrong mode gives a completely different — and wrong — result, so it's worth double-checking the mode before running a trig calculation. As a reference point, 90° equals π/2 radians, 180° equals π radians, and 360° equals 2π radians.
A logarithm answers the question "what power do I need to raise this base to, to get this number?" The common logarithm (log) uses base 10, so log(100) = 2 because 10² = 100. The natural logarithm (ln) uses base e (approximately 2.71828), and shows up constantly in growth and decay problems — compound interest, population growth, radioactive decay, and more. Exponents work in the opposite direction: they tell you the result of repeated multiplication, like 2^5 = 32 (2 multiplied by itself 5 times). Square roots and cube roots are the inverse of squaring and cubing a number — the square root of 25 is 5, because 5² = 25.
Sine, cosine, and tangent describe the relationships between the angles and sides of a right triangle. For a given angle, sine equals the length of the opposite side divided by the hypotenuse, cosine equals the adjacent side divided by the hypotenuse, and tangent equals the opposite side divided by the adjacent side (or equivalently, sine divided by cosine). Inverse trig functions (often labeled sin⁻¹, cos⁻¹, tan⁻¹, or arcsin/arccos/arctan) work backward — given a ratio of sides, they tell you the angle that produced it. These functions are foundational not just in geometry but in physics (analyzing forces and waves), engineering, and computer graphics.
Memory functions let you store a number separately from the main calculation, which is useful for multi-step problems. M+ adds the currently displayed number to memory, M- subtracts it from memory, MR recalls the stored value back onto the display, and MC clears the memory back to zero. For example, if you need to calculate several values and then sum them at the end, you can compute each one, press M+ to add it to the running total, and press MR once you've entered them all to see the combined result — without needing to write anything down.
The single most common error is leaving the calculator in the wrong angle mode — calculating in degrees when a problem expects radians, or vice versa. Another frequent mistake is misreading the order of operations; scientific calculators generally follow standard math precedence (parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, addition/subtraction), but it's easy to type an expression in an order you didn't intend. When working with very large or very small numbers, watch for scientific notation in the result (like 1.5e+8, meaning 1.5 × 10⁸) — it's easy to misread this as a much smaller number if you're not expecting it.
Scientific calculators show up across a wide range of fields. Physics students use trigonometric functions to break forces into components and logarithms to work with decibels or the Richter scale. Chemistry students use exponents and logarithms for pH calculations and reaction rates. Engineers use roots and powers for structural load calculations, and finance professionals occasionally reach for logarithms when working out how long an investment takes to double at a given interest rate. Even outside formal study, scientific calculators are handy for anything involving compound growth, angles, or unit conversions that go beyond simple arithmetic.
Scientific calculators switch to scientific notation automatically once a number becomes too large or too small to display normally. A number like 150,000,000 might be shown as 1.5e+8, meaning 1.5 × 10⁸. Similarly, a very small number like 0.00000032 might display as 3.2e-7, meaning 3.2 × 10⁻⁷. This notation is standard in physics and chemistry, where quantities can range from the size of an atom to the size of a galaxy. Getting comfortable reading "e+" and "e-" notation is essential once calculations start involving very large or very small real-world quantities, such as the speed of light or Avogadro's number.
Do I need Deg or Rad mode for everyday geometry problems? Degrees. Most school-level geometry, navigation, and construction problems use degrees. Radians are typically introduced in trigonometry and calculus courses.
What's the difference between log and ln? log is base 10 (common logarithm), while ln is base e (natural logarithm). Scientific and engineering formulas involving growth, decay, or continuous change almost always use ln.
Can this calculator handle negative numbers under a square root? No — the square root of a negative number is not a real number (it's an imaginary number), so the calculator will return an error for that input, matching standard calculator behavior.
Why did my factorial calculation return an error? Factorials are only defined for non-negative integers. Entering a negative number or a decimal will produce an error, since 5.5! or (-3)! have no standard definition.
What's the value of π and e that this calculator uses? π is approximately 3.14159265, and e is approximately 2.71828183 — both are stored to full floating-point precision internally, so results using these constants remain accurate even in long calculations.
Last reviewed by Mehmed on July 11, 2026.