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.

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:

Buttons

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

1/x

Inverts the current display.

x^2

Raises the current display to the second power.

SQRT

Calculates the square root.

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.

sin

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

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.

tan

Computes the trigonometric tangent.

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.

log

Calculates the logarithm base 10 of the display.

ln

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

x^y

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

PI

Enters the irrational number Pi into the display.

x!

Calculates the factorial of the number in the display.

()

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.

.

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.