A full scientific calculator for trigonometry, logarithms, roots, and more — right in your browser.
This evaluates a math expression the same way a handheld scientific calculator would, using degrees for trig functions.
A scientific calculator extends basic arithmetic with functions needed for algebra, trigonometry, and higher-level math: exponents, roots, logarithms, trigonometric functions, and often statistical or memory functions — tools that a standard four-function calculator doesn't provide.
Operations of equal precedence (like multiplication and division, or addition and subtraction) are evaluated left to right. This consistent order is why 2 + 3 × 4 equals 14, not 20 — multiplication is resolved before addition.
| Function | Meaning |
|---|---|
| x², xⁿ | Square, general power |
| √x, ⁿ√x | Square root, nth root |
| log(x) | Base-10 logarithm |
| ln(x) | Natural logarithm (base e) |
| sin, cos, tan | Trigonometric ratios (degrees or radians) |
| x! | Factorial (product of all integers up to x) |
Trigonometric functions can be evaluated in either degrees (a full circle = 360°) or radians (a full circle = 2π ≈ 6.2832). Mixing up the mode is one of the most common calculator errors — sin(90) in degree mode equals 1, but sin(90) in radian mode equals about 0.894.
Example 1 — Order of operations: 5 + 2 × 3² − 4 ÷ 2 evaluates as: exponent first (3²=9), then multiplication/division left to right (2×9=18, 4÷2=2), then addition/subtraction (5+18−2=21).
Example 2 — Logarithm application: Solving 10ⁿ = 250 for x: x = log(250) ≈ 2.398 — meaning 10 raised to about 2.398 equals 250.
Example 3 — Trigonometry, degrees mode: sin(30°) = 0.5, cos(60°) = 0.5, and tan(45°) = 1 — these three values are common reference points worth memorizing for quick mental checks.
Why does my calculation give a different answer than expected? The most common cause is order-of-operations ambiguity or an incorrect degree/radian mode setting for trigonometric functions.
What's the difference between log and ln? log(x) typically refers to base-10 logarithm, while ln(x) refers to the natural logarithm, base e (≈2.71828).
Why can't you take the square root of a negative number? Within real numbers, no real number squared produces a negative result; negative square roots require complex numbers (involving i, the imaginary unit).
What does factorial (x!) actually calculate? Factorial multiplies all positive integers up to and including x — for example, 5! = 5×4×3×2×1 = 120 — commonly used in combinatorics and probability.
How do I know whether to use degrees or radians for a problem? Physics and engineering contexts often use radians by convention, while everyday geometry and many calculator defaults use degrees — check the problem's context or units given.
What's the difference between e and log base e (ln)? e (≈2.71828) is a specific mathematical constant, the base of natural growth; ln(x) is the logarithm function that answers "what power of e gives x?"
Why do calculators sometimes show a tiny rounding error, like 0.9999999 instead of 1? Floating-point arithmetic can't represent every decimal value exactly in binary, so some calculations accumulate very small rounding errors — this is a computing limitation, not a math error.
Evaluating sin(45°) + √16 × 2 in degree mode: sin(45°) ≈ 0.7071, √16 = 4, so the expression becomes 0.7071 + (4 × 2) = 8.7071 — note that multiplication is evaluated before addition, per standard order of operations.
Radian: A unit of angle measurement based on the radius of a circle, commonly used in higher mathematics.
Order of operations: The standardized sequence (PEMDAS/BODMAS) for evaluating a mathematical expression.
Natural logarithm (ln): A logarithm using base e (≈2.71828), common in calculus and growth/decay problems.