How to Use the Online Calculator
This free calculator handles everyday arithmetic: adding up a shopping bill, splitting costs, working out a quick percentage or checking a sum. It follows the standard order of operations, so you get correct answers even for longer calculations.
Using the calculator
- Click or tap the keys, or type straight from your keyboard.
- Press = or Enter to get the result.
- C (or Esc) clears everything; ⌫ deletes the last character.
- The live preview shows the answer as you type, before you press equals.
- Your last few calculations appear in the history panel.
Order of operations
The calculator follows the usual rules, often remembered as BODMAS or PEMDAS: brackets first, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction, working left to right. So 2 + 3 × 4 equals 14, not 20. To add first, use brackets: (2 + 3) × 4 = 20.
Working with percentages
The % key divides the number before it by 100. That makes common percentage sums easy:
- 15% of 200:
200 × 15%= 30 - Add 18% tax to 1,000:
1000 × (1 + 18%)= 1,180 - Take 20% off 2,500:
2500 × (1 − 20%)= 2,000
For more percentage questions, such as percentage change, try our percentage calculator.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| 0–9 . + − * / | Numbers and operators |
| ( ) | Brackets |
| Enter | Equals |
| Esc | Clear |
| Backspace | Delete last character |
Everyday uses of an online calculator
- Splitting a bill: a 3,600 dinner shared by 4 people is
3600 ÷ 4= 900 each. - Working out a tip: a 15% tip on 2,400 is
2400 × 15%= 360. - Comparing unit prices: 500 g for 250 costs 0.50 per gram, while 1 kg for 450 costs 0.45 per gram, so the larger pack is cheaper.
- Monthly budgeting: add up rent, bills and groceries with brackets to keep each group separate.
For money questions with more steps, our EMI guide and loan calculators can save you time.
Need trigonometry, powers or logarithms? Switch to the scientific calculator.
Further reading: Order of operations (Wikipedia)