Most useful calculator functions?

E

escribblings

New member
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Jan 25, 2015
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Firstly, if this is in the wrong forum, sorry = please move it.

For many, a basic 4 function calculator is just too basic. Even some of the more advanced calculators are quite restricted, yet the the scientific are, for most situations, over complicated.

There are now many calculator apps available for smart devices, yet I am still having to use multiple apps to do what I want to do.

So with that in mind, I am looking into designing my own Calculator App. I want it to have some advanced, yet everyday, features - but not as complicated as a scientific calculator.

I have my own ideas for some of the features "I" want, but I would be interested to know what you guys feel are calculator functions that you can't do without. There is a caveat here - I am not asking math A level students or professionals what buttons they need most. I am after the functions that you feel the everyday man on the street might find useful. And on that note, how many actually use the square root button outside an engineering company or a classroom?

Features I would like to see, include...


  • Basic 4 functions
  • Memory
  • Brackets
  • Percent
  • Fractions - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Hours/Minutes/Seconds - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Division showing remainder in place of decimal notation - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Overbar to show recurring decimal points
  • Currency exchange
  • Tax

What other features, do you think should be included for everyday use?
 
escribblings said:
Firstly, if this is in the wrong forum, sorry = please move it.

For many, a basic 4 function calculator is just too basic. Even some of the more advanced calculators are quite restricted, yet the the scientific are, for most situations, over complicated.

There are now many calculator apps available for smart devices, yet I am still having to use multiple apps to do what I want to do.

So with that in mind, I am looking into designing my own Calculator App. I want it to have some advanced, yet everyday, features - but not as complicated as a scientific calculator.

I have my own ideas for some of the features "I" want, but I would be interested to know what you guys feel are calculator functions that you can't do without. There is a caveat here - I am not asking math A level students or professionals what buttons they need most. I am after the functions that you feel the everyday man on the street might find useful. And on that note, how many actually use the square root button outside an engineering company or a classroom?

Features I would like to see, include...


  • Basic 4 functions
  • Memory
  • Brackets
  • Percent
  • Fractions - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Hours/Minutes/Seconds - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Division showing remainder in place of decimal notation - and the ability to convert to and from decimal
  • Overbar to show recurring decimal points
  • Currency exchange
  • Tax

What other features, do you think should be included for everyday use?
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by Memory other probably than the standard M+ M- and MR but I would think that a scrollable memory would be useful, i.e. a scrollable
4+
5-
6+
12=
15
would indicate 4 plus 5 minus 6 plus 12 equals 15. Have memory for maybe 20 items or more.


Sharp and Commodore had some of the scientific calculators like that but you would not need all of the scientific functions, see
https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...pmuseum%2Farchv013.cgi%3Fread%3D43271;700;525
for example. I really used the one I had at the time as a scientific calculator and, if I'm remembering correctly, one of them was programmable to a small extent.
 
Ishuda said:
Not sure what you mean by Memory other probably than the standard M+ M- and MR but I would think that a scrollable memory would be useful, i.e. a scrollable
4+
5-
6+
12=
15
would indicate 4 plus 5 minus 6 plus 12 equals 15. Have memory for maybe 20 items or more.


Sharp and Commodore had some of the scientific calculators like that but you would not need all of the scientific functions, see
https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...pmuseum%2Farchv013.cgi%3Fread%3D43271;700;525
for example. I really used the one I had at the time as a scientific calculator and, if I'm remembering correctly, one of them was programmable to a small extent.
Click to expand...

I was meaning basic M+ etc..., however a "history" feature seems like a good idea.

It might be possible to have multiple memories - I know my Casio scientific has 6 independent memories AND a history function.

In the list I posted above I forgot to mention the sign change key [+/-] or [(-)].

As for everyday use, I did think that some basic measurement capabilities might be good, like feet and inches and pounds and ounces. But I don't want to over complicate it and that is getting into the realms of an engineering calculator.
 
escribblings said:
For many, a basic 4 function calculator is just too basic. Even some of the more advanced calculators are quite restricted, yet the the scientific are, for most situations, over complicated.ed as a scientific calculator.
Click to expand...

Handsdown, the most useful button is the \(\displaystyle \boxed{ CLEAR }\).
 
WARNING: Beer soaked rambling/opinion/observation/reckoning ahead. Read at your own risk. Would be readers can take it seriously or take it with a grain of salt. In no event shall the wandering quixotic math knight-errant Sir jonah in his inebriated state (usually in his dead tired but mentally revived inebriated state) be liable to anyone for special, collateral, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of his "enhanced" beer (and tequila/absinthe) powered views.
Jomo said:
Exactly my point. Do NOT turn the thing (idiot box) on!
Click to expand...
Speak for thyself Sir Jomo.
Television! Err.. Calculator! Teacher, mother... secret lover. Urge to kill... fading... fading... fading - rising! Fading... fading... gone.
 
bestellen said:
I think complex numbers will be great
Click to expand...

That's true, you can do a lot more with complex numbers in a shorter time that you can simple numbers. But you can eventually work around the limitations. But don't get the numbers too complicated, it just messes up things.
 
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