How to use the Google calculator

Google’s calculator tries to understand the problem you are attempting to solve without requiring you to use special syntax. However, it may be helpful to know the most direct way to pose a question to get the best results. Listed below are a few suggestions for the most common type of expressions.

Most operators come between the two numbers they combine, such as the plus sign in the expression 1+1.

Operator Function Example
+ addition 3+44
- subtraction 13-5
* multiplication 7*8
/ division 12/3
^ exponentiation (raise to a power of) 8^2
% modulo (finds the remainder after division) 8%7
choose X choose Y determines the number of ways of choosing a set of Y elements from a set of X elements 18 choose 4
the root of calculates the nth root of a number 5th root of 32
% of X % of Y computes X percent of Y 20% of 150


Some operators work on only one number and should come before that number. In these cases, it often helps to put the number in parentheses.

Operator Function Example
sqrt square root sqrt(9)
sin, cos, etc. trigonometric functions (numbers are assumed to be radians) sin(pi/3)
tan(45 degrees)
ln logarithm base e ln(17)
log logarithm base 10 log(1,000)


A few operators come after the number.

Operator Function Example
! factorial 5!