Documentation

Scientific Calculator

7 min read

This is a scientific calculator with the ability to use values from picked PCB design items. The calculator performs basic arithmetic, such as addition and subtraction, as well as functions found on a scientific calculators, factorials and logarithms for example.

Shortcuts

Default Keys: None

Default Menu: Utilities

Command: Design Calculators

Locating this option

Available from: Utilities menu > Design Calculators option

Scientific Calculator

This calculator is a tab on the Design Calculators dialog, available from the Utilities menu. The following dialog appears when the Scientific tab is selected.

Basic Use

The calculator works the same way as a hand held calculator.

  1. Click on the digit, sign and decimal point buttons to enter a number. The number will be displayed in the Register at the top of the calculator. Use the Backspace key if you make a mistake whilst entering the number.
  2. Click on an operation button, + to add, - to subtract, / to divide, or * to multiply.
  3. Enter the next number in the calculation.
  4. Continue to press operators followed by numbers until all numbers have been entered.
  5. Click on the equals button to give the result in the register. For example, 4 + 5 + 2 * 3 = should give the result 33.

You also can enter the digits and operation keys directly from the keyboard, and copy and paste numbers from elsewhere in this application, or from other applications, to the register using standard windows cut/copy/paste operations.

At any time use the C (Clear) button to clear the register before entering numbers, or use the AC (All Clear) button to clear the register, all memory and the current operation.

Scientific Operations

The group of buttons to the right of the number buttons perform scientific calculations on the numbers you enter. Some of them are single click calculations on the number in the register, and some need another number to complete the operation followed by an equals to present the answer. PI enters the pi constant into the register, ready for the next operation. The trigonometric functions operate on numbers in degrees.

Some examples:

  • Pressing “2” followed by “x^3” performs 2 to the power 3 and the result 8 is placed in the register.
  • The sequence “5”, “x^y”, “4”, ”=” performs 5 to the power 4 and the result 625 is placed in the register.
  • The sequence “6”, “4”, “nth root”, “3”, ”=” performs the cube root of 64 and the result 4 is placed in the register.
  • Pressing “4”, “5” and “tan” calculates the trigonometric tangent of 45 degrees, and the answer 1 is displayed.

Trigonometric Operations

Check the “Inv” box to change the trigonometric operations to perform the inverse, or arc functions. For example, use the sequence “Inv” “1” “tan” to perform the arctangent of 1, to find which angle gives a tangent of 1, so the answer 45 is displayed.

Check the “Hyp” box to change the trigonometric operations to perform hyperbolic operations. For example, use the sequence “Hyp” “1” “tan” to perform the hyperbolic tangent of 1 giving the answer 0.761594 ( which is pi/4). Use “Inv” and “Hyp” to calculate the inverse of the hyperbolic function.

Note, if you know an angle in radians and want to perform a trigonometric function on it, you can convert it to degrees using the Conversion Calculator and paste the converted value into the register to perform the operation.

logarithms

Use “log” to find the base 10 logarithm of a number and use “ln” to find the natural logarithm. Checking the “Inv” box makes “ln” perform the exponential of the number in the register.

Memory Operations

The group of buttons in the Memory box allow you to save numbers to one of five memory locations, and recall these numbers when they are required at a later stage in your calculations. First select which of the five memory fields you will be using, and then press one of the memory buttons as follows.

  • Click MS (Memory Store) to copy the number from the register to the chosen memory field.
  • Click MR (Memory Recall) to copy the number from the chosen memory field back to the register.
  • Click MC (Memory Clear) to set the current memory field to zero.
  • Click M+ (Memory Add) to add the number from the register to the chosen memory field.
  • Click M- (Memory Subtract) to subtract the number in the register from the chosen memory field.

Statistical Operations

The group of buttons in the Statistics box allow you to enter data in the form of a series of numbers, and calculate basic statistical information on the data. The following describes how to to this.

  1. Press the Sta button to enter Statistics mode. In this mode Stats will be displayed to the left of the register, and all the statistics buttons are enabled.
  2. Enter a number into the register and press the Dat button to add it to the data list. Repeat this for each number in the data series.
  3. When all numbers have been entered you can use one of the statistical operations.
    • Click the Sum button to show the sum of the data.
    • Use the Ave button to display the average of the numbers.
    • Use the SD button to show the standard deviation of the data.
    • Use the s button to show the sample standard deviation of the data.
  4. Press the Sta button again to exit the Statistics mode. The data will be cleared, ready for next time.

Design Item Data

This is available when editing PCB designs or PCB symbols. The Item Data box has a list of numerical information from the selected design item. To use this data, click on the item of interest in the list and use the To Memory button to store the selected value in the currently selected memory field, or use the To Register button to copy the number to the main register at the top of the calculator.

Use the Length Units and Precision controls to change the way the design data is displayed in the list only.

To change the item that information is displayed for, move the cursor out of the dialog and you will be presented with a calculator cursor. Use this to pick on the next item from the design. Keep the shift key pressed down to select whole shapes or tracks, or keep the Ctrl key down to just select a position instead of a design item. If you can not see enough of the design, use the Hide button at the top right of the dialog to hide the dialog until the mouse key is clicked. Pressing the Escape Key, or the cross at the top of the dialog will exit the calculator picking mode back to normal select mode.

You can use the picking to measure the approximate distance between two picked points. After the second pick you will find Picked Distance and Picked Offset in the item list. The distance is the direct line between the picked points and the offset gives the X and Y coordinates. Keep the Ctrl key down to avoid items while picking if you only want to see the point information.

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