Modern calculators

Calculator

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A calculator is a device for performing calculations. These days, most calculators incorporate general-purpose computing systems, however, they're often made to carry out specific tasks. For instance graphing calculators focus on graph-centered math like trigonometry as well as statistics. Furthermore, modern calculators tend to be larger and more portable than a majority of computers however some personal digital assistants (PDAs) are similar in terms of size to hand held calculators.

Since calculators are miniaturized, someday devices that are the size of credit cards will be able to do the same calculations like today's huge scientific calculators. Another potential advancement could be comparable to a portable computer which has notations that do not require buttons, but written directly on an LCD. By this method, the requirement for buttons could be removed and the size of the device could be further reduced.

Overview

The past was when clerical tools made of mechanical such as abaci, comptometers and Napier's bones, mathematical books, charts, slides, or mechanical adders were employed for numeric work. The term "calculator" denoted a person who performed such work to earn a living by using these aids along with papers and pencils. This semi-manual process of calculation was tedious and error-prone.

Modern calculators are powered by electricity and come in various shapes and sizes varying from cheap, give-away, credit card sized models up to sturdy models with adding machine-like features that include integrated printers.

Electronic calculators

In the past calculators had the same size as our computers today. The first mechanical calculators were desktop calculators. They quickly replaced by electromechanical desktop calculators, and eventually, electronic devices that utilized first thermionic valves, later transistors and finally, hard-wired circuit logic. Today, the majority of calculators can be described as hand-held electronic devices.

Basic configuration

The complexity of calculators varies according to the purpose they were designed for. A simple modern calculator might comprise of the following components:

• A source of energy, such as a battery or solar panel both
• Displays, typically constructed of LED light sources and liquid crystal (LCD) capable of showing any number of digits (typically eight or 10)
• Electronic circuitry
• Keypad that includes:
  • The ten digitsof 0 through 9
  • The decimal point
  • The equals sign, to prompt for the answer
  • The four Arithmetic functions (namely subtraction multiplication and division)
  • The Cancel button will remove the current calculation
  • Switches for off and on
  • Other fundamental functions, such as square root or percentage (%).
• Higher-end models may come with an individual number memory, which could be pulled up when needed. It might also have an Cancel Entry buttonthat will delete the current number being entered.

Since the mid 1980s simple calculators were installed in other small devices, such as smartphones, cell phones or wrist watches.

Advanced electronic calculators

Advanced scientific calculators include trigonometricand statistical functions as well as additional mathematical capabilities. The most advanced modern calculators have graphics and also include features from computer algebra systems. They are also programmeable. calculators include algebraic equation solvers financial models, as well as games. The majority of calculators can print numbers as large as 10 decimal places or digits completely on the screen. Scientific notation can be used to indicate numbers as large as 9.999999999*10 ⁹⁹. If a greater number or a mathematical expression yielding more than that is entered (a common example comes from typing "100! ", read as "100 factorial") then the calculator will show "error."

"Error" is also displayed if a function or an operation is undefined mathematically such as division by zero or even roots of negative numbers (most scientific calculators do not allow complex numbers, however some of the more expensive models have special functions to work with them). Certain, but not all, calculators are able to differentiate between the two kinds of "error," though when they do, they are difficult for users to understand since they are usually given in the form of "error 1" or "error 2."

There are a handful of companies that design and make modern professional finance and engineering calculators: The most well-known are Casio, Sharp, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Texas Instruments (TI). Such calculators are good illustrations of embedded computers.