Modern calculators

Calculator

SearchPrevious, navigation, Jump (Calcium)Next (Caleb)A simple calculator

It is a calculatoris the device that is used for conducting calculations. These days, most calculators incorporate general-purpose computing, but they're usually made to carry out specific tasks. For example graphing calculators focus specifically on graph-centered math, including trigonometry, statistics and so on. In addition, modern calculators are much more portable than the majority of computers However, some personal digital assistants (PDAs) are comparable in size with hand-held calculators.

As calculatorsare tiny, in the future, devices which are as small as credit cards might be able to perform the exact calculations like today's huge scientific calculators. Another possible advance may be similar to a handheld computer and where the notes are not entered by buttons, but instead written on an LCD. In this way, the requirement for buttons could be eliminated and the overall size of the device would be reduced.

Overview

in the past clerical tools made of mechanical such as abaci, comptometers, Napier's bones, books of mathematical charts, slides, or mechanical adders were used to do numeric work. The term "calculator" denoted a person who performed this work to earn a living by using these devices as well writing instruments and pen. This semi-manual process of calculation was tedious and prone to errors.

Modern calculators are electrically powered and come in a variety of shapes and sizes varying from inexpensive, giveaway, credit card-sized models to more robust models with built-in printers.

Electronic calculators

In the past calculators were as massive as those used today. First, mechanical calculators used mechanical desktop computers, and were replaced in the near future by electromechanical desktop calculators, the electronic calculators were later replaced by first thermionic valvesand later transistors and finally, hard-wired circuit logic. Nowadays, the majority of calculators are handheld microelectronic devices.

Basic configuration

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

• A source of power that is a battery or solar panel both
• Displays are typically made by LEDs (LCD) or LED lights (LCD), capable of showing a number of digits (typically 8 or 10)
• Electronic circuitry
• Keypads that contain:
  • The ten digits, from 0 through 9
  • The decimal point
  • The equals sign to ask for the answer
  • The four arithmetic functions (namely, addition, subtraction multiplication, division and subtraction)
  • A cancel button, which will end the current calculation
  • Switches for off and on
  • Other functions that are fundamental, such as square root and percentage (%).
• The more advanced models might have a single-number memory, which is able to be used whenever it is needed. It might also have an Cancel Entry button, to delete the current number being entered.

Since the end of the 1980s simple calculators were fitted in smaller devices like pagesrs, mobile phones, or wrist watches.

Electronic calculators with advanced technology

Advanced scientific calculators can support trigonometric, statistical, and various mathematical features. Modern calculators display graphics and also include features from computers algebra systems. They are also programmable. calculator programs include solvers for algebraic equations financial models, as well as games. The majority of calculators can print numbers that are up to ten digits or decimal places in full-screen. Scientific notation is used for notating numbers up to 9.999999999*10 ⁹⁹. If a greater number or a mathematical equation that returns more than the number entered (a common instance is typing "100! ", read as "100 factorial") then the calculator will display "error."

"Error" is also displayed when a function, or operation is mathematically undefined or mathematically. For instance, division by zero , or even the roots for negative numbers (most scientific calculators don't permit complex numbers, although some expensive ones do have special functions to work with them). Certain, but not all calculators can distinguish between these two types of "error," though when they do, they are not easy for the user to understand since they're typically referred to either "error 1" or "error 2."

Only a few companies develop and produce modern, high-end finance and engineering calculators that are well-known. The most popular are Casio, Sharp, Hewlett-Packard (HP) as well as Texas Instruments (TI). Calculators like these are great models of embedded technology.