About this tool
DEG or RAD?
Trigonometric functions need to know the unit of the angle. In DEG mode sin(30) = 0.5 and asin(1) = 90; in RAD mode sin(π/6) = 0.5. School geometry usually uses degrees, while calculus and physics formulas usually use radians.
The current mode is shown in the display and is remembered on this device. Values such as sin(180) or cos(90) are shown as exactly 0 rather than a tiny rounding error, and tan(90°) is reported as not defined.
Why −2^2 is −4 and 2^3^2 is 512
- Powers are evaluated before the minus sign in front of them, so −2^2 = −(2^2) = −4. Type (−2)^2 to get 4.
- Powers group from right to left: 2^3^2 = 2^(3^2) = 2^9 = 512.
- A number directly before a bracket, π, e, a function or √ means multiplication: 2π, 2(−3) and 2√9 = 6.
- EXP enters powers of ten: 2 EXP 3 is 2×10³ = 2000.