How The Equals Key Works

Most online calculators treat the equals key as a full stop. You get your answer, and that's it. Press equals again and nothing happens. A proper calculator doesn't work that way, and neither does ours . . .

Pressing Equals Again Repeats Last Operation

When you finish a calculation, our calculator remembers what you just did, the operator and the second number, and keeps it ready. Press equals again and it applies that same operation to your new result.

Try it . . .

Press 4 1 6 and display shows 64
Press again and display shows 1024 (that's 64 × 16)
Press againand display shows 16384 (1024 × 16)

Each press repeats "× 16" on what's currently showing. The math expression above the display shows what was calculated, no guessing. This feature is called the constant-function or K-constant. Operation stays constant while the numbers change.

Or, Keep Operation and Change Number

Once you've done a calculation, enter a new number and press equals to apply the last operation to that new number.

Try it . . .

Press 4 1 6 and display shows 64
Press 5 and display shows 80 (5 × 16)
Press 8 and display shows 128 (8 × 16)

The "× 16" is applied each time, you just supply the new number. Again, the math expression above display shows what was calculated : - )

Why This Is Nice

This feature becomes the workhorse of real calculator use: An accountant applying the same tax rate down a column of figures. A contractor pricing different quantities at the same unit cost. A teacher scoring a stack of items worth the same number of points. Anyone who needs to multiply, divide, add, or subtract by the same value over and over. You set the operation once and then just enter numbers. It turns repetitive calculations into a few keystrokes.

Why Many Calculators Get This Wrong

Most calculators don't store the last operation, so pressing equals again does nothing. People who rely on this behavior often can't say what it's called, but they know they like it.

We built our calculator to rhyme with the Windows 7 calculator, which did this well, and which many people still consider the best software calulator version ever shipped. Our equals key behaves the way you expect, so nothing to relearn.