Modern calculators

Calculator

Navigate, jump to Previous (Calcium)Next (Caleb)A Basic calculator

A calculatoris a device used for making calculations. The modern calculator usually incorporates an all-purpose computing system but they are often designed to perform specific operations. For instance graphing calculators are focused on graph-centered math such as trigonometry and statistical. Additionally, modern calculators are much more portable than the majority of computers, though some personal digital aids (PDAs) are comparable in size to hand-held calculators.

Since calculators are small, there will be a time when gadgets that are the size of credit cards may perform the similar calculations as the current large scientific calculators. A different possibility of advancement is similar to a handheld calculator and where the notes are not input by buttons but are written on screens. In this way, the need for buttons would be eliminated and the size of the device will be further reduced.

Overview

There was a time when mechanical clerical aids such as abaci, comptometers and Napier's bones, mathematical books, charts, slides, or mechanical adders were used to perform numeric calculations. The term "calculator" denoted a person who did such work for a living using such aids along with writing instruments and pen. The process of calculation, which was semi-manual was time-consuming and error-prone.

Modern calculators are electrically powered and are available in an array of sizes and shapes ranging from cheap, give-away, credit card-sized models to more robust models with built-in printers.

Electronic calculators

In the past calculators had the same size as our computers today. They were the first desktop calculators. They were quickly replaced with electromechanical desktop calculators. They were followed the electronic calculators were later replaced by first thermionic devices, then transistors, and finally hard-wired integrated circuit logic. Nowadays, the majority of calculators are handheld microelectronic devices.

Basic configuration

The complexity of calculators varies with the intended purpose. A simple modern calculator might include the following parts:

• A power source such as a batteries or solar panel both
• A displaythat is typically constructed out of LED lights as well as liquid crystal (LCD) that can display a variety of numbers (typically either 8 or 10.)
• Electronic circuitry
• A keypad that contains:
  • The ten digits, from 0 through 9
  • The decimal point
  • The equals sign, to call for the answer
  • The four arithmetic functions (namely subtraction, multiplication and division)
  • A cancel button, which will erase the current calculation
  • To turn off or on, click the buttons.
  • Other basic functions, such as square root as well as percentage (%).
• More advanced models may have a single-number memory, which can be stored in case of need. There may also be a Cancel entry button, which can eliminate the current numbers that are being entered.

Since the mid 1980s, simple calculators have been placed in other small devices, such as mobile phones, pagers or wrist watches.

Advanced electronic calculators

More sophisticated scientific calculators offer trigonometricand statistical functions as well as different mathematical applications. The most advanced modern calculators have graphics and include features of computer algebra systems. They can also be programmed; calculator programs include algebraic equation solvers as well as financial models and even games. The majority of calculators are able to print numbers of up to 10 decimal points or digits in full on the screen. Scientific notation is used for notating numbers as large as 9.999999999*10 ⁹⁹. If a larger number or a mathematical formula yielding greater numbers than the number entered (a common example comes from entering "100! ", read as "100 factorial") then the calculator simply displays "error."

"Error" is also displayed whenever a function operation is undefined mathematically for instance, division using zero, or bases of negative numbers (most scientific calculators don't accept complex numbers although some high-end models do have specific functions for working with them). A few, but not all, calculators can differentiate between the two types of "error," though when they do, they are not always easy for users to understand because they're usually listed in the form of "error 1" or "error 2."

A few companies create and make modern professional engineering and finance calculators the most well-known ones are Casio, Sharp, Hewlett-Packard (HP) as well as Texas Instruments (TI). These calculators are excellent illustrations of embedded computers.