If this is your first time using a calculator, all the buttons and functions it includes might create some anxiety and discomfort. However, regardless of whether you're using a standard or scientific calculator, the basic functions are pretty much the same. Once you have learned which keys to use to perform various math calculations, you will feel completely comfortable using your calculator both at school and in everyday life.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Learning the Basic Functions
Step 1. Locate the power button, if present
Although most modern calculators run on solar energy, which means that when there is a source of natural or artificial light, they turn on automatically, some models are equipped with an "ON" or "ON / OFF" key. If your device has a power button, press it to turn the calculator on and off.
- If your calculator has an "ON" button, press it when it is running to be able to turn it off.
- Some models turn off automatically after a few minutes of inactivity.
Step 2. Calculate the sum using the "+" key
Press the "+" button after entering the first number, then type the second value to add the numbers under consideration. For example, if you need to add the number 5 to the number 10, you will need to enter the value "5", press the "+" key and enter the number "10".
Add other numbers to the result of a sum to calculate the sum of a series of values. For example, press the "+" key followed by the "5" key to add this number to the result of adding the values "5" and "10". When you have completed entering all the numbers to add, press the "=" key to get the final result, which in this case is "20"
Step 3. Perform number subtraction using the "-" key
Enter the first value, press the "-" key, then enter the second value to calculate the difference. By doing so, the second number will be subtracted from the first. For example, press the "7" key, then press the "-" key and finally press the "5" key to subtract the number 5 from the number 7. At this point, press the "=" button to get the final result, that is "2".
- Subtract other values from a number series. For example, press the "-" key again, then enter the number "2" to subtract it from the result of the previous operation "7 - 5". At this point, press the "=" key to get the final result, which is "0".
- Try subtracting after adding some numbers together.
Step 4. Divide two numbers or change a fractional value to decimal using the "÷" or "/" key
For example, to divide the value "2" by "1", press the "2", "÷" and "1" keys in sequence, then press the "=" button to get the result of the division. To transform the fractional number "4/5" into the corresponding decimal value, press the "4", "/" and "5" keys in sequence, then press the "=" button to obtain the conversion value.
- If you are using a physical calculator (and not the virtual one on computers or websites), the key to perform the division is most likely indicated by the "÷" symbol. In the case of virtual calculators on computers, the same key will most likely be indicated with the "/" symbol.
- Divide a series of numbers by pressing the "÷" or "/" key and entering the next divisor. For example, if you have already entered the following algebraic expression "2 ÷ 1", press the "÷" key, type the "2" key and finally press the "=" button to get the final result, which is "1".
Step 5. Perform a multiplication using the "x" or "*" key
For example, if you need to calculate the product of the numbers 6 and 5, press in sequence the keys "6", "x" and "5", then press the "=" button to obtain the final result of the multiplication which will be "30".
- If you are using a physical calculator (and not the virtual one on computers or websites), the key to perform the division is most likely indicated by the "x" symbol. In the case of virtual calculators on computers, the same key will most likely be indicated with the "*" symbol.
- Calculate the product of a series of values by pressing the "x" or "*" key and entering the next number in the series. For example, if you have already entered the algebraic expression "6 x 5" on your device, press the "x" key and the "2" key, then press the "=" button to get the final result which will be "60".
Step 6. Press the "=" key to get the result of an equation
After having entered into the calculator all the values and mathematical operators present in the equation, such as the addition or subtraction, press the "=" key to obtain the final result. For example, enter the number "10", press the "+" key, enter the value "10" again and finally press the "=" button to get the final result of the sum, ie "20".
Remember that you can change the equation you entered without having to re-enter it completely just before pressing the "=" key, using the "←" and "→" keys, so always carefully check the values you enter before viewing the result on the display the final
Step 7. Clear the data in the calculator's memory using the "Clear" or "AC" key
Whenever you need to delete the values displayed on the calculator display or in the internal memory, you must press the "AC" or "Clear" key. For example, start by pressing the "2", "x" and "2" keys in sequence, then hit the "=" button. The display will show the final result, ie "4", which will also be stored in the calculator's internal memory. If at this point you need to perform other calculations, press the "Clear" key. The value "0" will appear on the device display.
- The "AC" key is indicated by the acronym of the English expression "All Clear".
- If after getting the final result "4" you press the "+", "-", "x" or "/" key, you can start entering the parameters of a new equation without first having to press the "Clear" key. In this case the result of the previous calculations will become an integral part of the new equation to be calculated. At any time, press the "Clear" button when you need to start over with a certain calculation.
Step 8. Press the "Backspace", "Delete" or "CE" key to delete the last entered value
If you need to delete the last number entered without having to delete all the expression you typed up to now, you can use the "Backspace" or "Delete" key. For example, if you have to perform the following calculation "4 x 3", but you have mistakenly pressed the "4", "x" and "2" keys, you can press the "Delete" button to delete the number "2" and be able to enter the number "3" by pressing the corresponding key. At this point on the calculator display you will see written "4 x 3".
- The "CE" key is indicated by the acronym of the English expression "Clear Entry".
- If you press the "Clear" key instead of the "Backspace" or "Delete" button, the entire sequence of keys pressed so far will be deleted and the display will show the value "0".
Step 9. Press the "button
to enter a decimal value.
Start by entering the whole part of the decimal number, then press the "." and complete the job by entering the remaining decimal places, then press the "=" key. For example, to enter the decimal value "50.6", you will have to press in sequence the keys "5", "0", ".", "6" and "=".
- If you need to use the decimal value you entered to calculate a sum, subtraction, multiplication or division, don't press the "=" button.
- Use the "+", "-", "x" and "÷" keys to add, subtract, multiply or divide respectively.
Step 10. Convert a number to a percentage using the "%" key
Press the indicated button to divide the value shown on the calculator display by 100, turning it into a percentage. For example, if you need to calculate 7% of 20, start by pressing the "7" key, then press the "%" key to get "0, 07" as the result. At this point press the "x" key and enter the number "20". In this way you will multiply the coefficient equal to 7%, that is 0, 07, by 20 obtaining as final result "1, 4".
To transform a percentage coefficient into a number, multiply it by 100. In the previous example you pressed the "7" and "%" keys, resulting in "0, 07". At this point press the "x" key and enter the value "100", then press the "=" key to get the original number "7"
Step 11. Create a fractional number using parentheses and the division key
Start by pressing the key corresponding to the opening parenthesis "(", then enter the numerator value of the fraction, which is the number at the top of the fraction line. At this point, press the "÷" or "/" key, enter the denominator of the fraction and press the ")" key. For example, to recreate the fraction "5/6", you will have to press the key sequence "(", "5", "/", "6" and ")".
Use the "+", "-", "x" and "÷" keys to add, subtract, multiply or divide fractions respectively. Remember to enclose each fraction in round brackets, otherwise the calculation will be incorrect
Step 12. Perform an addition or subtraction using the values stored in the calculator's memory using the "M" keys
The "M +" and "M-" keys allow you to add or remove the number shown on the display from the calculator's temporary memory. For example, press the "5" key and press the "M +" key to store the value "5" in memory. Now press the "5" key again and then press the "M-" button to clear it from memory.
- The temporary memory of the device is not cleared using the "Clear" or "Backspace" keys.
- To delete the contents of the temporary memory, press the appropriate "MC" key.
- Use the calculator's buffer to store partial results of simple calculations found in much more complex mathematical expressions.
Part 2 of 2: Using a Scientific Calculator
Step 1. Calculate the inverse function of a number using the "1 / x" or "x ^ -1" key
The inverse of a number, also known as reciprocal, represents the value obtained by dividing 1 by the original number. For example, the reciprocal of 2, which can also be represented with the fractional number 2/1, turns out to be 1/2. This means that using the calculator you will have to press the "2" key followed by the "1 / x" key to obtain the desired result, ie ½, which corresponds to the decimal number 0, 5.
Know that multiplying any number by its reciprocal will always result in 1
Step 2. Calculate the square of a number using the "x ^ 2" or "yx" key
The square of any value is obtained by multiplying that number by itself. For example, the square of 2 corresponds to the expression "2 x 2" which gives the result 4. Using the calculator you will have to press the key "2" followed by the key "x ^ 2" or "yx" to get the result "4 ".
Normally the secondary function of the key that allows you to calculate the square of a number represents the inverse mathematical operation, ie the square root represented by the symbol "√". The square root of a number (for example 4) corresponds to the value which, if raised to the square, gives the starting number as a result (in this case 2). For example, to calculate the square root of 4 which is equal to 2, using the calculator you will have to press the "4" and "√" keys in succession, obtaining the final result "2"
Step 3. Calculate the power of a number using the "^", "x ^ y" or "yX" key
Exponentiation corresponds to multiplying a certain number by itself by the number of times indicated by the exponent of the power. Using the indicated key of the calculator, the number entered will be multiplied by itself by the number of times indicated by the exponent "y". For example, to calculate the power "2 ^ 6", which can be read as two raised to the sixth, it is necessary to perform the following mathematical calculation "2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2". Using the scientific calculator you can simplify the process by pressing the following keys in sequence: "2", "x ^ y", "6" and "=". The final result that will appear on the calculator display will be "64".
- The raising of any number "x" to the second power is called "square", while the raising of any number "x" to the third power is called a "cube".
- The "^" key is most often found on graphing calculators, while the "x ^ y" and "yX" keys are most commonly used on scientific calculators.
Step 4. Perform calculations using numbers expressed in scientific notation using the "EE" or "EXP" key
Scientific notation is the method that is used to express very long numbers in a simple way, for example 0, 0000000057. In this case, the scientific notation of the example number is 5, 7 x 10 ^ -9. To insert a value into the calculator using scientific notation, it is necessary to enter the digits that compose it (in this case 5, 7), press the "EXP" key, enter the exponent of the power of ten (in this case 9), press the "-" key and finally press the "=" button.
- Remember not to press the multiplication key ("x" or "*") after pressing the "EE" or "EXP" button.
- To change the sign of the number corresponding to the exponent of the power of ten, use the "+/-" key.
Step 5. Use the calculator to work with trigonometric functions using the "sin", "cos" and "tan" keys
To calculate the sine, cosine or tangent of an angle, start by entering the angle value expressed in degrees, then press the key corresponding to the trigonometric function you need to calculate, "sin", "cos" or "tan", to obtain respectively the sine, cosine or tangent of the angle entered.
- To convert the sine of an angle to the width of the angle, enter the sine value and press the "sin-1" or "arcsin" key.
- To perform the same operation with the cosine or tangent of an angle, enter the value of the trigonometric function and then press the "cos-1" or "arccos" or "tan-1" or "arctan" key.
- If your calculator model does not have the "arcsin", "sin-1", "arccos" or "cos-1" key, press the "Function" or "Shift" key, then press the "sin" key, "cos" or "tan" to calculate the inverse function and get the original angle width as a result.
