Sine, cosine, tangent, logarithms, powers, roots, and memory, all in one calculator. Build compound expressions like sin(30) + √16, switch between degrees, radians, and gradians, and see exactly what was calculated.
Build an expression, then press equals. Function buttons add to your expression so you can combine them, like sin(30) + √16.
A scientific calculator picks up where a basic calculator stops. Alongside addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, it handles trigonometric functions such as sine, cosine, and tangent, logarithms in base 10 and natural log, powers and roots, and it remembers order of operations automatically so parentheses and exponents are respected without any extra effort on your part. This calculator also lets you build compound expressions, meaning you can combine more than one operation in a single line, such as sin(30) + √16, and it will evaluate the whole thing correctly in one step.
Everything below is designed to show its work. Press equals and you will see not just the result, but a plain-language explanation of what was calculated and, for trigonometric functions, which angle mode was used. That last part matters more than it might seem: switching between degrees and radians is one of the most common sources of wrong answers on any scientific calculator, and this page is built to make that setting hard to miss.
Before you calculate anything involving sin, cos, tan, or their inverse functions, glance at the DEG / RAD / GRAD row above the buttons. A right angle is 90 in degrees, but roughly 1.5708 in radians and 100 in gradians. The numbers only mean what you expect if the mode matches what you intended.
Every expression on this calculator is evaluated using the standard order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction. Multiplication and division share a level and are worked left to right, and the same is true for addition and subtraction. This is why 2 + 3 × 4 equals 14 and not 20, the multiplication happens first, and why wrapping the addition in parentheses, (2 + 3) × 4, changes the answer to 20.
An exponent tells you how many times to multiply a number by itself. In 5², the base is 5 and the exponent is 2, so the expression means 5 × 5, which is 25. In 2³, the base is 2 and the exponent is 3, meaning 2 × 2 × 2, which is 8. The xʸ button lets you raise any base to any exponent, including fractional and negative exponents, while x² is a shortcut for squaring whatever is currently in the expression.
A square root asks the opposite question of an exponent: instead of "what do I get if I multiply 12 by itself," it asks "what number, multiplied by itself, gives 144." Since 12 × 12 = 144, the square root of 144 is 12. A cube root works the same way but for three factors instead of two, so the cube root of 8 is 2, because 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. Square roots are only defined for zero and positive numbers on this calculator; a negative number under a square root produces an error message rather than an incorrect answer.
Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, roughly 3.14159, and it never terminates or repeats. This calculator has a dedicated π button so you never need to type or remember its digits. Pi shows up constantly in geometry and trigonometry, from computing the circumference of a circle (2πr) to converting between degrees and radians, since a full circle is both 360 degrees and 2π radians.
A logarithm answers the question "what exponent do I need?" The expression log(1000) asks "10 raised to what power gives 1000," and since 10³ = 1000, log(1000) = 3. The log button on this calculator uses base 10. The ln button is the natural logarithm, which uses the mathematical constant e (approximately 2.71828) as its base instead of 10, so ln(e) = 1. Logarithms are only defined for positive numbers; log or ln of zero or a negative number produces a domain error rather than a meaningless result.
Sine, cosine, and tangent describe the ratios between the sides of a right triangle relative to one of its angles. The classic memory aid is SOH-CAH-TOA: Sine is Opposite over Hypotenuse, Cosine is Adjacent over Hypotenuse, and Tangent is Opposite over Adjacent. The inverse functions, sin⁻¹, cos⁻¹, and tan⁻¹, work backward: instead of taking an angle and returning a ratio, they take a ratio and return the angle that produced it. That is why sin⁻¹(0.5) returns 30 degrees, the same angle whose sine you calculated in the example above.
DEG, RAD, and GRAD are three different scales for measuring the exact same angle, the way inches and centimeters are two different scales for measuring the exact same length. A right angle is 90 in degrees, about 1.5708 in radians, and 100 in gradians. None of these numbers is "more correct" than the others; they simply come from dividing a full circle into 360 parts, 2π parts, or 400 parts. The mode you have selected tells this calculator which scale to use whenever you enter or receive an angle from a trig function.
The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, always reported as zero or positive, regardless of whether the original number was positive or negative. |-7| = 7 because negative 7 sits exactly 7 units to the left of zero, the same distance that positive 7 sits to the right. The |x| button applies this to whatever value or expression you place inside it.
Memory lets you set a number aside and reuse it later without retyping it. Press M+ after a calculation to store the current result. Press MR (memory recall) at any point to insert that stored value into your expression. Press MC (memory clear) to reset memory back to zero. Memory is independent of your calculation history and of the AC button, it stays set until you clear it or close the page.
Because function buttons add text to your expression instead of immediately computing an answer, you can combine several operations in a single calculation. Typing sin(30) + √16 and pressing equals evaluates sin(30) first, which is 0.5 in degree mode, adds it to the square root of 16, which is 4, and returns 4.5. Parentheses that you do not close yourself are closed automatically when you press equals, so a forgotten closing parenthesis will not produce an error.
If you ever see a result that looks impossible instead of a number, this calculator will tell you exactly why, such as "Cannot divide by zero" or "Square root is not defined for negative numbers," rather than showing a confusing symbol like NaN or Infinity.
Here are nine worked examples showing exactly how this calculator reaches its answers, including the order of operations, an angle-mode-dependent trig calculation, and a compound expression that mixes a root with an exponent.
| Button | What It Does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sin / cos / tan | Trig function of the value or expression that follows, in the active angle mode | sin(30) = 0.5 |
| sin⁻¹ / cos⁻¹ / tan⁻¹ | Inverse trig, returns an angle in the active mode | sin⁻¹(0.5) = 30° |
| log | Base-10 logarithm | log(1000) = 3 |
| ln | Natural logarithm (base e) | ln(e) = 1 |
| √ / ∛ | Square root / cube root | √144 = 12 |
| xʸ / x² | Raise to any power / square | 2ʸ3 = 8 |
| π / e | Inserts the constant pi or Euler's number | 2 × π = 6.2832 |
| |x| | Absolute value (distance from zero) | |x|(-7) = 7 |
| % | Divides the preceding value by 100 | 50% = 0.5 |
| +/- | Flips the sign of the current value | 7 → -7 |
| M+ / MR / MC | Store, recall, and clear a memory value | M+ then MR |
| AC / DEL | Clear everything / erase the last character | n/a |
This calculator covers trigonometry, logarithms, powers, and roots. For problems that live entirely inside one of those areas, a more focused calculator can sometimes be quicker.
Trig, log, powers, roots, and compound expressions in degree, radian, or gradian mode.
You are hereSolve a full right or general triangle from a few known sides and angles.
Open Triangle Calculator →Percent-of, percent change, and percent increase or decrease, without any trig or logs involved.
Open Percentage Calculator →What is a scientific calculator used for?
A scientific calculator handles trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, and roots in addition to the basic arithmetic a standard calculator provides. It is used in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, engineering, and any other setting where those functions come up.
What is the difference between DEG, RAD, and GRAD?
They are three different scales for measuring the same angle. A full circle is 360 degrees, 2π radians, or 400 gradians. Set the mode to match how you want to enter or read an angle before using a trig function.
What is the difference between log and ln?
log is the base-10 logarithm, so log(1000) = 3 because 10³ = 1000. ln is the natural logarithm, which uses the constant e (about 2.71828) as its base instead of 10, so ln(e) = 1.
Does this calculator follow the correct order of operations?
Yes. Every expression is evaluated using PEMDAS: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.
Can I combine more than one operation in a single calculation?
Yes. Function buttons add text to your expression rather than immediately computing an answer, so you can type something like sin(30) + √16 and press equals once to get 4.5.
Why did I get an error instead of a number?
Some inputs have no defined answer, such as dividing by zero or taking the square root of a negative number. Rather than showing a confusing result like NaN or Infinity, this calculator shows a plain-language explanation of what went wrong.
Why can't I take the square root of a negative number?
No real number, positive or negative, produces a negative result when multiplied by itself. Since this calculator works with real numbers, a negative value under a square root is treated as undefined and returns an error message.
Why is log(0) or log of a negative number an error?
A logarithm asks "what power of the base gives this number." No power of 10 ever produces zero or a negative number, so log and ln are only defined for positive inputs.
Why does sin⁻¹ or cos⁻¹ sometimes give an error?
Sine and cosine only ever produce values between -1 and 1. If you enter a number outside that range into sin⁻¹ or cos⁻¹, there is no real angle that could have produced it, so the calculator returns an error instead of a made-up answer.
What does the % button actually do?
It divides the value immediately before it by 100. Typing 50% and pressing equals gives 0.5. This is different from the modulo operation used in some programming languages.
How does memory (M+, MR, MC) work?
M+ stores the current result in memory. MR inserts that stored value into your expression wherever your cursor is. MC clears memory back to zero. Memory stays set until you clear it or leave the page, and it is separate from your calculation history.
What is the difference between xʸ and x²?
xʸ lets you raise a value to any exponent you type, including negative or fractional exponents. x² is a shortcut that squares the current value without typing the exponent.
What is the difference between √ and ∛?
√ is the square root, which finds a number that multiplied by itself gives the input. ∛ is the cube root, which finds a number that multiplied by itself three times gives the input.
What does |x| calculate?
Absolute value, the distance of a number from zero, always shown as zero or a positive number. |-7| and |7| are both 7.
Can I use parentheses inside functions, like sin(30 + 10)?
Yes. Parentheses can be nested and combined with functions freely. The calculator evaluates everything inside the innermost parentheses first, exactly as PEMDAS requires.
What happens if I forget to close a parenthesis?
The calculator automatically closes any parentheses you left open when you press equals, so a forgotten closing parenthesis will not stop your calculation.
Does the calculator remember my past calculations?
Yes, in a Calculation History panel below the buttons, but only for the current browser session. Nothing is saved after you close or refresh the page, and history is never sent anywhere.
Is my calculation data sent to Google Analytics or anyone else?
No. This page uses Analytics only to understand general page traffic. The numbers, expressions, and results you calculate are never sent as data to Analytics or any other service.
Can I print or save my result?
Yes. After a calculation, use the Print / Save as PDF button to get a clean printable summary with just your expression and result, without the buttons, navigation, or article text.
Can I share a result?
Yes. Use Copy Result to copy the answer, Copy Link to copy a link to this calculator, or the Email, Facebook, and Reddit buttons to share directly. A native Share button also appears on devices that support it.
How accurate are the results?
Results are accurate to standard double-precision floating point arithmetic and are rounded for display so that tiny rounding artifacts, such as 0.49999999999999994 instead of 0.5, are not shown to you.
What is a gradian?
A gradian divides a full circle into 400 equal parts instead of 360 (degrees) or 2π (radians). A right angle is 100 gradians. Gradians are less common than degrees or radians but do appear in surveying and some European engineering contexts.
Does this calculator work on my phone?
Yes. The layout adjusts automatically for smaller screens, and every button, including the mode switches and memory keys, remains fully usable on mobile.
Is this scientific calculator free to use?
Yes, it is completely free with no sign-up required, and there is no limit on how many calculations you can run.
Why does the answer show "Calculated in Degree mode" under some results?
That note only appears when a trigonometric or inverse trigonometric function was part of the calculation, as a reminder of which angle scale was used, since the same numeric input produces a different result in each mode.
Can I enter a negative number as a function's input?
Yes, for functions where a negative input makes sense, such as sin, cos, tan, or absolute value. For functions where it does not, such as square root or logarithm, the calculator returns an explanatory error instead of an invalid result.
What does the DEL button do, compared to AC?
DEL removes only the last character you typed, useful for fixing a small typo. AC clears the entire expression and starts over.
Why is 0 raised to a negative power an error?
A negative exponent means "1 divided by the base raised to the positive version of that exponent," which would require dividing by zero. Since division by zero is undefined, so is a negative power of zero.
Every expression is tokenized and parsed following standard precedence rules, then evaluated function by function. Each trig, inverse trig, logarithm, and root function checks its own input for validity before computing, so a domain error (dividing by zero, an out-of-range inverse trig input, or a logarithm or square root of a non-positive number) is caught at the exact operation that caused it and reported in plain language, rather than surfacing as NaN or Infinity after the fact.