The expression field on this calculator is a real text input, so a physical keyboard controls the whole app. Digits and operators type normally, Enter evaluates, Escape clears, and every editing shortcut you know from a text editor works unchanged.

Key Takeaways

Enter or = evaluates the expression; Escape clears it.

Type 2^10 and press Enter → = 1024.

Keyboard * shows as × and / shows as ÷, while the percent key is context aware: 200*15% → = 30.

Ctrl / ⌘ combinations pass straight through, so undo, redo, copy, and paste behave exactly as in any text field.

Enter to evaluate, Escape to clear

These are the two keys to learn first. When the expression reads the way you want, press Enter or the = key and the answer appears. Escape wipes the expression so you can start fresh. In full screen, the first Escape press exits full screen and the second clears, so expect two presses there. Every mapped key has the same treatment in the keyboard shortcuts reference.

Typing the basics

Digits 0-9 and the decimal point type themselves, and so do +, −, (, ), and ^ for powers. Two keys are substitutions: * inserts the × glyph and / inserts the ÷ glyph, while the engine still sees standard multiplication and division. The comma inserts an argument separator with a trailing space, ready for two-argument functions.

Worked example 1: a power. Type 2^10 and press Enter → = 1024. The ^ key on the keypad does the same job as the one on your keyboard, and the matching on-screen key lights up as you type, a quick way to confirm what the calculator registered.

Worked example 2: an nth root. Two-argument functions need a comma: nthRoot(16, 4) then Enter → = 2. The trailing space the comma inserts keeps long arguments from jamming together as the expression wraps.

The percent key is context aware

The % key does not blindly convert its number to a decimal. It reads the percent of whatever it follows. With multiplication it computes the share, and with addition it adds the share on top:

200*15% → = 30, which is 15% of 200.
200+15% → = 230, which adds 15% of 200 onto 200.

A bare 15% with no surrounding operation is treated as incomplete and refuses to evaluate. The error message guide explains why and what the message means.

A full calculation from the keyboard

A two-step calculation shows how the pieces fit together. Take (20 + 5)²:

Type (20+5). The brackets close and the cursor sits after them.
Add the power by typing ^2.
The line now reads (20+5)^2. Press Enter.

The result is 625. If you catch a typo before pressing Enter, use the arrow keys to reach the wrong digit, Backspace to remove it, and type the correction. Clearing and starting over is never required for one bad character. The same flow handles pasted arithmetic: copy an expression from anywhere, press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on a Mac), and evaluate. Pasted text parses exactly like typed input, so a formula from a page or an assignment arrives ready to run.

Editing keys just work

The expression area is a standard text field, so the browser’s editing keys pass straight through. Backspace and Delete remove characters on either side of the cursor, the arrow keys move it, Home and End jump to the start and end, Shift plus arrows select text, and Ctrl / ⌘ + A selects the whole expression. Undo and redo are native too: Ctrl+Z (⌘+Z) undoes, and Ctrl+Y or Shift+Ctrl+Z redoes. Because the calculator never intercepts these keys, they behave exactly like any other text box you have typed into.

Typing functions by name

Every function on the keypad can also be typed. Functions insert their name with an opening parenthesis, so you type sin(30) for sine, log(100) for a base-10 logarithm, and sqrt(144) → = 12 for a square root. The memory row works separately from the expression field, and the memory functions post explains MS, MR, M+, and the rest. The getting started post walks one full calculation from start to finish, and the calculator function reference lists every function you can type and what it expects.

Tips for faster entry

Fix a single mistyped digit with the arrow keys and Backspace instead of clearing and retyping the whole expression.
Paste a long expression with Ctrl+V; it parses exactly like typed input.
The history panel stores previous results, and clicking one loads its expression back into the editor.
In full screen, remember that the first Escape press exits full screen and only the second clears, so budget two presses.
Type multi-argument functions with a comma, as in nthRoot(16, 4), and let the auto-inserted space keep the arguments readable.
When pasted text refuses to evaluate, the error message guide explains the specific failure.

The keyboard shortcuts reference pages every mapped key, the calculator function reference lists every function you can type, and the memory functions post covers the keys that store and recall values for later steps.

Frequently asked questions

Which keys evaluate the expression?

Enter or the = key. Both run the current expression and show the result.

Why does my typed * show up as ×?

The calculator substitutes display glyphs. * becomes × and / becomes ÷, so the expression reads like a printed math line even though the engine treats them as ordinary operators.

What does the Escape key do?

It clears the whole expression. In full screen the first press exits full screen instead, so clearing takes two presses from there.

Do I still need the mouse to operate the calculator?

No. Digits, operators, brackets, functions typed by name, evaluation, and every editing action run from the keyboard. The on-screen keypad stays useful for finding a function whose name you forgot, and the keyboard shortcuts reference has the complete table of key to action mappings.

Can I paste a long expression in?

Yes. Copy it from anywhere and press Ctrl+V (or ⌘+V on a Mac). Pasted text is parsed exactly like typed input, and if it fails, the error message guide walks through the failure code.