# How do I use my scientific calculator?

It’s important to point out that each scientific calculator is a little different with regards to placement of certain keys as well as order of entry of keystrokes.

First, let’s start off with some basic operations, then move onto examples you can try with your scientific calculator.

Most calculators today have the following operations, which you need to know how to use:

 Operation What it means + plus, or addition - minus or subtraction Note: there is a DIFFERENT key to make a positive number into a negative number, perhaps marked (-) or NEG (for "negation") x times, or multiplied by ÷ over, or divided by yx or ^ raised to the power (for exponents) Sqrt or √ square root ex "exponentiate this," or raised to the power LN or ln natural logarithm, or "take the log of" sin sine function cos cosine function tan tangent function sin-1 inverse sine function, arcsine, or "the angle whose sine is" cos-1 inverse cosine function, arccosine, or "the angle whose cosine is" tan-1 inverse tangent function, arctangent, or "the angle whose tangent is" ( ) parentheses, or "do this first"