Good students not only work hard, they work smart. They know that when it comes to succeeding in math, having the right tools can save you time, money, and headache.
To help you get current, we’ve put together a list of the coolest free online calculators:
- basic and scientific calculators
- graphing applications
- equation solving applications
- and other, more advanced programs to help you with math homework
The best part is: they’re all completely free. Keep reading to discover which online calculators you should add to your math homework toolbox.
The List: Free Online Calculators
Basic Calculators
Basic online calculators allow you to perform arithmetic calculations, as well as find square root values and percentages.
Calculator-1.com is a super simple and convenient basic online calculator. It has a great user interface and doesn’t require you to download anything. So if your homework involves lots of adding, subtracting or finding percentages, this is a no-nonsense solution for you.
Bottom line: basic, big, bold and easy to use.
Scientific and Algebraic Calculators
Scientific calculators do the same things as basic calculators, but they also allow you to perform operations with exponents, logarithms, trigonometric functions and more.
There are dozens of free scientific calculators out there and it’s easy to get lost in the jungle. Here are a few that most students find convenient and easy to use:
- The scientific calculator from Math.com. This is a simple scientific calculator that resembles a handheld calculator. The interface is a little small, but other than that, it’s a great tool if you want to simply push buttons rather than input a bunch of mathematical symbols.
Bottom line: a traditional looking scientific calculator that doesn’t require you to enter a bunch of “keyboard gibberish.”
- Online calculator by David Sumner of University of South Carolina. This calculator is awesome! You can enter the entire algebraic expression and click “evaluate”, and the Gematria calculator will return the answer. The downside to some may be that it doesn’t have that traditional calculator look and there are no buttons, but there are sufficient instructions below the calculator that explain how to input the expressions correctly.
Bottom line: helps solve long algebraic expressions instantly (as long as you don’t mind the “keyboard gibberish”).
- The complete calculator from Mathway.com. This site offers a comprehensive calculator that spans multiple math disciplines – from arithmetic to calculus. It will help you perform operations with fractions, logarithms, limits, trigonometric functions and more. It also has a separate tab for graphing.
Bottom line: a complete math solution. Bookmark this one, it’s a keeper!
Free Online Graphing Tools
Graphing Calculators
Graphing calculators are used in many disciplines, from pre-calculus, calculus and statistics, to physics and engineering.
- If you are looking for a one-stop graphing shop, visit WebGraphing.com. This website is 100% dedicated to helping you graph whatever your heart may desire.
Bottom line: a graphing heaven.
- An awesome free graphing calculator is available from Desmos.com. Do you want to scream the minute you even think about online graphing apps? If so, this one is for you! It is a complete graphing calculator that is very straightforward and good looking. It is not confusing like some of the other graphing calculators out there as it resembles an actual calculator with buttons and all. You can register for free to save and share your graphs, which is great, since most online students are required to submit virtual graphs nowadays, and most online calculators don’t give you this option.
Bottom line: a simple graphing solution for those of you who love buttons.
Equation “Graphers”
These handy flash applications will graph the equations for you. Pay attention to the instructions, as these programs may produce erroneous graphs if your inputs aren’t “to the T.”
There is a free equation “grapher” available from FreeMathHelp.com.
Bottom line: a basic online app to help you graph equations, minus all of the other junk.
Equation Solvers
Equation solvers are applications that help simplify and solve equations and systems of equations.
- A great equation solver is available from WolframAlpha.com. It solves linear equations and systems of equations; equations with parameters; trigonometric equations and polynomial equations. Equations aside, Wolfram Alpha is a great resource for all disciplines, offering various calculators for every imaginable subject. The company itself calls its website “The computational knowledge engine” (and they are not exaggerating by the way).
Bottom line: a comprehensive equation solving solution.
- A basic equation solver is available from NumberEmpire.com. Similar to Wolfram Alpha, it generates solutions to equations and systems of equations. It may be a better option for our ADD-prone friends, as it offers its infinite math wisdom on a white background with less distractions and shows some of the more important steps leading up to the solution.
Bottom line: basic, distraction-free equation solver.
Trigonometric Calculators
Trigonometric calculators help find values of trigonometric functions. (Does “sohcahtoa” ring a bell?) All you have to do is enter the angle or radian value and the calculator spits out the values of trig functions based on your inputs.
A great trig calculator is available from GradeAMathHelp.com. You input the angle in question, and the calculator returns the results for sin, cos, tan, csc, sec and cot simultaneously.
Bottom line: it’s an all-in-one trig solution.
Cool Math Apps
Although this post is focused on online calculators, we couldn’t help but mention a couple of worthy calculator apps for those of you who use phones and tablets for just about everything.
The official Mathway app. If you have an Android device, you are in luck. Once downloaded, this app does not require a network connection. It solves a variety of math problems, from pre-algebra to statistics and more. You also have an option to get a premium membership and receive step-by-step instructions for solving various math problems.
Graphing Calculator app by Herbert Law’s App. Dubbed one of the best graphing calculator apps, this one is available for Android and Kindle Fire. It is a pretty comprehensive graphing calculator. It may take you a few tries t figure out how to use it right, but it is well worth the effort if you don’t want to dish out $100-$200 for a handheld graphing calculator.
The free iOS graphing calculator app by William Jockusch. For all of you Apple enthusiasts out there, this is one of the best rated calculator apps for ipad. Very powerful and flexible, it does exactly what it is supposed to do.
Bottom line: do your homework anywhere with these math-on-the-go solutions. All of these calculator apps are best in their categories. Plus, nothing beats “free.”
Ethics
This concludes our list of free online calculators. Please keep in mind that as convenient as calculators are, they are not necessarily appropriate in every situation. Solving equations or systems of equations with an online solver is a great way to check your understanding or get a hint when you are stumped, but it is not appropriate for graded homework or quizzes. Likewise, if your homework involves evaluating algebraic expressions for the sake of evaluating them, you should only use a calculator to check your answer, not to obtain it.