Using GNOME Calculator

GNOME Calculator can be used to perform any of the calculations that you would normally use a scientific calculator or slide-rule for, or to replace the trigonometric and logarithmic tables generally found in the appendix of science textbooks. It is intended as a GNOME replacement for xcalc.

Basic usage

Starting GNOME Calculator opens the Main window, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. GNOME Calculator Main Window

To perform calculations, type in the numbers using the number keys on your keyboard, or use the 0 through 9 buttons on the main window, and the operator buttons surrounding them.

Menus

The menu bar, located at the top of the Main Window, contains the following menus:

File

Quit (Ctl-Q) which exits from GNOME Calculator.

Edit

Edit (Ctl-C) which copies the current display.

Help

About — shows basic information about GNOME Calculator, such as the author's name and the application version number.

Buttons

The buttons, located on the Main Window, are as follows:

1/x

Inverts the current display.

Example 1. 1/x

When 10 is displayed, pressing 1/x will cause GNOME Calculator to display 0.1.

x^2

Raises the current display to the second power.

Example 2. x^2

When 5 is displayed, pressing x^2 will cause GNOME Calculator to display 25.

SQRT

Calculates the square root.

Example 3. SQRT

When 81 is displayed, pressing SQRT will cause GNOME Calculator to display 9.

CE/C

This button clears the display.

AC

This button clears the display and all queued commands.

INV

The INV is used to "invert" some operations in GNOME Calculator.

Example 4. INV

The INV can be used to compute the arcsine of a number. If the display shows 1, pressing INV, followed by sin, yields a result of 90, assuming that the units display is set on DEG.

sin

Computes the trigonometric sine. The units used are displayed on the second button down on the right column of buttons.

Example 5. sin

When the display shows 90 and the units display shows DEG pressing sin will cause GNOME Calculator to display 1.

cos

Computes the trigonometric cosine, or compliment's sine. The units used are displayed on the second button down on the right column of buttons.

Example 6. cos

When the display shows 60 and the units display shows DEG, pressing cos will cause GNOME Calculator to display .5.

tan

Computes the trigonometric tangent.

Example 7. tan

When the display shows 45 and the units display shows DEG, pressing tan will cause GNOME Calculator to display 1.

DEG/RAD/GRAD

Displays and changes the units of angle measure

e

Uses the irrational number e for the next argument. The number displayed is not necessarily the same as used for calculations.

EE

Multiplies the current display by 10 to the power of the next number entered.

Example 8. EE

Clicking 8 and then EE and then 3 and then = would display 8000.

log

Calculates the logarithm base 10 of the display.

Example 9. log

Entering 1000 and pressing log yields a result of 3.

ln

Calculates the natual logarithm (base e) of the display.

Example 10. ln

Entering 403.4287935 and pressing ln causes GNOME Calculator to display 6.

x^y

Raises the number in the display to the power of the next number entered.

Example 11. x^y

With 5 in the display, pressing x^y and then entering 3 will yield a result of 125.

PI

Enters the irrational number Pi into the display.

x!

Calculates the factorial of the number in the display.

Example 12. x!

Entering 7 in the display and pressing x! will cause GNOME Calculator to display 5040.

()

Parenthesis can be used to group operations, overriding the default order of operations for mathematics.

/*+-

These buttons let you perform the basic arethemetic operations of division /, multiplication *, addition +, and subtraction -.

STORCL

The STO is used to store the display into the calculators memory.

RCL

The RCL is used to recall the stored value from memory.

0123456789

These buttons are used to input the numeric characters 0 through 9, for use in calculations.

SUM

Adds the displayed number to the number stored in GNOME Calculator's memory. This will act the same as the STO when the calculator's memory is empty, or zero.

EXC

Swaps the values in the display an memory.

Example 13. EXC

First, store 12 into memory. Then, enter 56, and press EXC. You should now see 12 in the display. Press CE/C followed by RCL, and GNOME Calculator will display 12.

.

The . is used to delimit between whole numbers, and fractional, or decimal, numbers while using GNOME Calculator.

+/-

The +/- is used to change the sign of the number displayed from positive to negative, or vice versa.

=

The = is used to tell GNOME Calculator to perform the currently pending operations. This command can also be invoked using the Enter or Return key on the keyboard.