Google Calculator: An Advanced Guide
1 min read
The Google Calculator is, contrary to what many people think, quite a powerful calculator! It's almost a shame that only geeks like myself tend to use it. That's why I thought I should give you some basic and advanced guidelines on how to use this online calculator.
In section 1, I list the commands and their functions, while in section 2 you will find some examples. Finally, in section 3, I will show you some really cool operators.
1. Commands
Basic commands
| Function | Command |
|---|---|
| Addition | + |
| Subtraction | - |
| Multiplication | * |
| Division | / |
| Exponentiation | ^ |
| Percentage | % of |
Advanced commands
| Function | Command |
|---|---|
| Square root | sqrt(number) |
| Nth root | nth root of [number] |
| sin, cos, etc. | trig function(number in radians) |
| Logarithm | log(number) |
| Factorial | ! |
2. Examples
Try typing any of these into the Google search box:
10% of 1005^23rd root of 275!sin(0)
I think you get the picture.
3. Goodies
- You can force the calculator to evaluate an expression, where possible, by simply using the equals sign (=). Mathematical errors, such as dividing by zero, can of course not be evaluated.
- With the in operator, you can convert one unit to another. I use this all the time when faced with "weird" American units like inches and yards. For instance, if you want to know how many meters 20 yards equals, you write:
20 yards in meters. Cool, huh? - Google Calculator understands many of the common mathematical and physical constants. For example, you can write c or "speed of light", and both work.