Scientific Calculator

A free, full-featured scientific calculator that runs instantly in your browser — trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, roots, factorials, parentheses, memory functions, and both DEG and RAD angle modes, with a running calculation history. No download, no sign-up, no ads blocking the keypad.

Quick Answer

Type an expression or tap the buttons below, then press =. Use sin / cos / tan for trigonometry (check the DEG/RAD toggle first), log for base-10 logarithm, ln for natural logarithm, ^ for exponents, and √ for square root. Parentheses and standard order of operations (PEMDAS) are fully supported.

M: 0

Your calculation history will appear here

You can also type directly on your keyboard — digits, + − × / ( ), and press Enter to calculate, Backspace to delete, and Escape to clear. Calculations run entirely in your browser; nothing is sent to a server.

What Is a Scientific Calculator?

A scientific calculator is a calculator built for algebra, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering work — anything beyond simple arithmetic. Alongside the standard add, subtract, multiply, and divide keys, it adds trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent and their inverses), logarithmic functions (base-10 and natural log), exponents and roots, factorials, scientific notation, parentheses for grouping complex expressions, and usually a memory system for storing intermediate results.

Unlike a basic four-function calculator, a scientific calculator correctly applies mathematical order of operations across an entire expression, so you can type a multi-step formula exactly as it's written on paper and get the correct result in one pass, rather than calculating each piece by hand and combining them yourself.

Full trigonometry: sin, cos, tan with DEG/RAD switching
Logarithms: log (base 10) and ln (natural log, base e)
Exponents (x^y), square roots (√), and factorials (n!)
Parentheses with correct order-of-operations evaluation
Memory functions: M+, M-, MR, MC
Full calculation history and keyboard input support

Button-by-Button Guide

Button	Function	Example
sin / cos / tan	Trigonometric functions of an angle (uses current DEG/RAD mode)	sin(30) = 0.5 (DEG)
log	Base-10 (common) logarithm	log(100) = 2
ln	Natural logarithm (base e)	ln(e) = 1
√	Square root	sqrt(81) = 9
x^y	Exponent — raises x to the power y	2^10 = 1024
n!	Factorial — product of all positive integers up to n	5! = 120
π	Inserts the constant pi (≈3.14159)	2*pi = 6.2832
e	Inserts Euler's number (≈2.71828)	e^2 = 7.389
( )	Groups part of an expression to control order of evaluation	(2+3)*4 = 20
%	Converts the preceding number to a percentage (÷100)	50% = 0.5
M+ / M- / MR / MC	Add to memory / subtract from memory / recall memory / clear memory	—
DEL / AC	Delete last character / clear entire calculation	—

DEG vs RAD — Which Should I Use?

The DEG/RAD toggle controls how the calculator interprets angles inside sin, cos, and tan. DEG (degrees) is the everyday unit most people learn first — a full circle is 360°, a right angle is 90°. RAD (radians) is the unit used throughout calculus, physics, and higher mathematics — a full circle is 2π radians (≈6.2832), and a right angle is π/2 (≈1.5708).

If you're doing school-level geometry or trigonometry homework, you almost always want DEG mode. If you're working with calculus, angular velocity, or most physics/engineering formulas, you'll typically want RAD mode. Getting this setting backwards is the single most common reason a trig calculation looks "wrong" — always check the mode indicator before calculating.

Order of Operations

This calculator evaluates every expression using standard order of operations, often remembered as PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction) or BODMAS in some countries:

1. Parentheses — anything inside ( ) is calculated first
2. Functions & Exponents — sin/cos/tan/log/ln/sqrt are applied to their argument, and powers (^) are evaluated
3. Multiplication & Division — evaluated left to right
4. Addition & Subtraction — evaluated left to right, last

EXAMPLE
3 + 4 * 2^2 = 3 + 4 * 4 = 3 + 16 = 19
(3 + 4) * 2^2 = 7 * 4 = 28

How Memory Functions Work

M+ — adds the number currently on screen to memory
M- — subtracts the number currently on screen from memory
MR — recalls (displays) whatever value is currently stored in memory
MC — clears memory back to zero

Memory is useful when a calculation has several independent parts — for example, computing several sub-totals and adding them together — without needing to write intermediate numbers down on paper.

Worked Examples

TRIGONOMETRY (DEG mode)
sin(30) + cos(60) = 0.5 + 0.5 = 1

LOGARITHMS
log(1000) + ln(1) = 3 + 0 = 3

EXPONENTS & ROOTS
sqrt(144) + 3^3 = 12 + 27 = 39

FACTORIAL
6! ÷ 3! = 720 ÷ 6 = 120

Basic vs Scientific Calculator

Feature	Basic Calculator	Scientific Calculator
Add, subtract, multiply, divide	Yes	Yes
Percentages	Yes	Yes
Parentheses / order of operations	No	Yes
Trigonometry (sin, cos, tan)	No	Yes
Logarithms (log, ln)	No	Yes
Exponents & roots	No	Yes
Memory functions	Sometimes	Yes

Who Uses a Scientific Calculator?

Students — algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, physics, and chemistry courses and exams
Engineers — quick field calculations involving angles, logarithmic scales, and exponents
Scientists & researchers — unit conversions, exponential growth/decay, and statistical formulas
Finance & data professionals — logarithmic and exponential calculations for growth rates and modeling
Anyone needing a fast, correct multi-step calculation without opening a spreadsheet

Glossary

Radian: A unit of angle measurement where one full circle equals 2π radians (≈6.2832); the standard angle unit in calculus and physics.
Logarithm: The inverse of exponentiation — log base b of a number x is the power to which b must be raised to produce x.
Natural Logarithm (ln): A logarithm with base e (≈2.71828), used throughout calculus, compound growth, and decay models.
Factorial (n!): The product of all positive integers from 1 up to n; for example 4! = 4×3×2×1 = 24.
Order of Operations: The standardized sequence — parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, addition/subtraction — used to evaluate a math expression unambiguously.
Scientific Notation: A way of writing very large or very small numbers as a value between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10, e.g. 6.02 × 10²³.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a scientific calculator used for?

A: Calculations beyond basic arithmetic — trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, roots, and factorials — commonly used in algebra, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering.

Q: What is the difference between a basic calculator and a scientific calculator?

A: A basic calculator only handles the four core operations and percentages. A scientific calculator adds trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponents, roots, parentheses, and memory storage.

Q: How do I calculate sine, cosine, and tangent on this calculator?

A: Set the DEG/RAD mode first, then enter the function — for example sin(30) returns 0.5 in DEG mode.

Q: What is the difference between log and ln?

A: log is base-10 (log(100)=2); ln is the natural logarithm, base e (ln(e)=1).

Q: What does the DEG/RAD toggle do?

A: It switches the angle unit used by sin/cos/tan between degrees and radians — the most common source of "wrong" trig answers is having this set incorrectly.

Q: How do the M+, M-, MR, and MC memory buttons work?

A: M+ adds the displayed value to memory, M- subtracts it, MR recalls the stored value, and MC clears memory to zero.

Q: Does this calculator follow the correct order of operations?

A: Yes — parentheses, then exponents/functions, then multiplication/division, then addition/subtraction, exactly as in standard math notation (PEMDAS/BODMAS).