To Perform Basic Calculations

3.2. To Perform Basic Calculations

Basic Mode is displayed by default when you first start gcalctool. To explicitly invoke Basic Mode, choose View->Basic Mode.

3.2.1. To Perform Simple Calculations

To perform simple calculations, use the buttons described in Table 1.

Table 1. Performing Simple Calculations

Function	Button	Description	Example	Result
Numerals	0 to 9 inclusive	In decimal and hexadecimal base, all numerals are available. In octal base, 8 and 9 are unavailable. In binary base, only 0 and 1 are available. The default base is decimal.	1	1
Numeric point	.	Starts the fractional part of a numeric entry.	1 . 2	1.2
Calculate a result	=	Displays the result of the current calculation in the current base.	1 + 2 =	3
Addition	+	Adds the current value in the display area to the next number that you enter.	1 + 2 =	3
Subtraction	-	Subtracts from the current value in the display area the next number that you enter.	3 - 2 =	1
Multiplication	*	Multiplies the current value in the display area by the next number that you enter.	3 * 2 =	6
Division	/	Divides the current value in the display area by the next number that you enter.	6 / 3 =	2

3.2.2. To Erase Characters

To erase characters, use the buttons described in Table 2.

Table 2. Erasing Characters

Function	Button	Description	Example	Result
Backspace	Bsp	Removes the rightmost character from the display area.	1 + 22 Bsp =	3
Clear Entry	CE	Removes the current value from the display area.	1 + 22 CE =	1
Clear	Clr	Resets the current value in the display area to zero. Clr also deselects the Hyp and Inv options in Scientific Mode.	1 + 22 Clr =	0

3.2.3. To Perform Arithmetic Calculations

To perform arithmetic calculations, use the buttons described in Table 3.

Table 3. Performing Arithmetic Calculations

Function	Button	Description	Example	Result
Percentage	%	Uses the next number that you enter to calculate that percentage of the current value in the display area.	200 % 2 =	4
Reciprocal	1/x	Divides 1 by the current value in the display area.	4 1/x	0.25
Change the arithmetic sign	+/-	Changes a positive number to a negative number, or a negative number to a positive number.	8 +/-	-8
Square Root	Sqrt	Calculates the square root of the current value in the display area.	9 Sqrt	3
Square	x²	Calculates the square of the current value in the display area.	3 x²	9
Integer Portion	Int	Calculates the integer portion of the current value in the display area.	-23.45 Int	-23
Fractional Portion	Frac	Calculates the fractional portion of the current value in the display area.	-23.45 Frac	-0.45
Absolute Value	Abs	Calculates the absolute value of the current value in the display area.	-23.45 Abs	23.45

3.2.4. To Use the Calculator Memory Registers

You can store values in any of the ten gcalctool memory registers R0 to R9. To display the memory registers, choose View->Memory Registers.

Table 4 describes the memory functions that you can use.

Table 4. Memory Functions

Function	Button	Description	Example	Result
Store Value in Memory Register	Sto	Stores the current contents of the display area in the specified memory register. Click on Sto, and select a memory register from the popup menu. To clear a memory register during a `gcalctool` session: Click Clr. Click on Sto. Select the memory register from the popup menu.	22 Sto R2	The value 22 is stored in memory register R2
Retrieve Value From Memory Register	Rcl	Retrieves the contents of the specified memory register. Click on Rcl, and select the memory register from the popup menu.	0 Rcl R2	22 where 22 is the value previously stored in memory register R2
Exchange Memory Register Value and Displayed Value	Exch	Exchanges the contents of the specified memory register and the current value in the display area. Click on Exch, and select the memory register from the popup menu.	44 Exch R2	Value in display area changes from 44 to 22, value in R2 changes from 22 to 44 where 22 is the value previously stored in memory register R2

Function

Button

Description

Example

Result

Store Value in Memory Register

Sto

Stores the current contents of the display area in the specified memory register. Click on Sto, and select a memory register from the popup menu.

To clear a memory register during a gcalctool session:

Click Clr.
Click on Sto.
Select the memory register from the popup menu.

22 Sto R2

The value 22 is stored in memory register R2

Retrieve Value From Memory Register

Rcl

Retrieves the contents of the specified memory register. Click on Rcl, and select the memory register from the popup menu.

0 Rcl R2

where 22 is the value previously stored in memory register R2

Exchange Memory Register Value and Displayed Value

Exch

Exchanges the contents of the specified memory register and the current value in the display area. Click on Exch, and select the memory register from the popup menu.

44 Exch R2

Value in display area changes from 44 to 22, value in R2 changes from 22 to 44

where 22 is the value previously stored in memory register R2

If you use keyboard shortcuts, you can use the keyboard to specify the memory register, as shown in the following examples:

Keyboard Entry	Description
S 2	Stores the current contents of the display area in memory register R2.
R 2	Retrieves the current contents of memory register R2 into the display area.
X 2	Exchanges the current value of the display area with the contents of memory register R2.

3.2.5. To Display ASCII Values

To display the ASCII value of a character, choose Edit->Insert ASCII Value.

The Insert ASCII Value dialog is displayed.

Enter the required character in the Character field, and click on Insert. The ASCII value of that character, in the current numeric base, appears in the display area. For example, the ASCII value of B in decimal base is 66.

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