Arithmetic Formulas & Operations
Every calculation you perform uses one or more of the four fundamental arithmetic operations. Understanding these operations is the foundation of all mathematics.
Addition: a + b = Sum
Subtraction: a โ b = Difference
Multiplication: a ร b = Product
Division: a รท b = Quotient (b โ 0)
Percentage: n% = n รท 100
Subtraction: a โ b = Difference
Multiplication: a ร b = Product
Division: a รท b = Quotient (b โ 0)
Percentage: n% = n รท 100
Order of Operations โ PEMDAS
When an expression has multiple operations, this order applies:
P โ Parentheses: (3 + 4) ร 2 = 14 (not 10)
E โ Exponents: 2ยฒ + 1 = 5
M โ Multiply: 6 ร 2 = 12 (before add/sub)
D โ Divide: 8 รท 4 = 2 (before add/sub)
A โ Add: left to right
S โ Subtract: left to right
E โ Exponents: 2ยฒ + 1 = 5
M โ Multiply: 6 ร 2 = 12 (before add/sub)
D โ Divide: 8 รท 4 = 2 (before add/sub)
A โ Add: left to right
S โ Subtract: left to right
Quick Reference Table
| Operation | Symbol | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addition | + | 247 + 359 | 606 |
| Subtraction | โ | 500 โ 183 | 317 |
| Multiplication | ร | 24 ร 15 | 360 |
| Division | รท | 144 รท 12 | 12 |
| Percentage | % | 25% of 80 | 20 |
Real-World Applications
- Shopping: Adding prices, calculating discounts, splitting bills
- Cooking: Scaling recipe quantities up or down
- Finance: Calculating totals, differences, and percentages
- Construction: Measuring and calculating material quantities
- School: Solving arithmetic problems and verifying answers
How to Use This Basic Calculator
Our free basic calculator works just like a physical calculator but with the added convenience of being accessible from any device with a web browser. Simply click the number buttons to enter values, select an operation (+, โ, ร, รท), enter the second number, and press = to see your result.
Basic Calculator Operations
Addition (+)
Adds two numbers together
Subtraction (โ)
Subtracts one number from another
Multiplication (ร)
Multiplies two numbers
Division (รท)
Divides one number by another
Special Functions
- AC (All Clear): Clears the entire calculation and resets to zero.
- โซ (Backspace): Deletes the last entered digit.
- % (Percent): Converts the number to a percentage (divides by 100).
- +/โ (Toggle Sign): Changes a positive number to negative or vice versa.
- ( ) Parentheses: Group operations to control order of calculation.
Keyboard Shortcuts
You can also use your keyboard to interact with this calculator. Press 0โ9 for digits, + โ * / for operations, Enter or = to calculate, and Backspace or Escape to clear.