Math & science · Learn
Start with a worked example, then use your own numbers. Each guide explains the steps, assumptions and limits that matter.
Scientific calculator ↗
Why is sin(30) wrong? Check degrees and radians first
The same number describes different angles in DEG and RAD. A quick reference calculation can prevent an entire worksheet of incorrect answers.
ln or log: which button solves your problem?
Logarithms recover an exponent. The right button depends on the base, not on how large the input looks.
Why 200 + 10% is not 220 on this calculator
Scientific calculators evaluate expressions. Their percent key need not behave like the contextual percent key on a shopping calculator.
Percentage calculator ↗
What is 12.5% of 240? A reliable percent-of method
Identify the whole before multiplying. That one choice determines whether a percentage calculation answers the question you actually have.
Know the percentage amount? Work back to the original total
If 45 is 15% of a total, multiplying by 15% again moves in the wrong direction. Reverse the operation instead.
From 4% to 5%: one percentage point or 25%?
Percentage points and percentage change answer different questions. Naming the measure prevents a small-looking rate change from being misreported.
Percentage change ↗
Why a 20% fall needs a 25% rise to recover
Equal-looking increases and decreases use different starting amounts. Recovering a loss requires working from the reduced value.
Can you calculate growth from zero or a negative number?
Percentage change is straightforward with a positive baseline. Zero and negative starting values require extra explanation.
Two discounts of 10%: why the total is 19%, not 20%
Successive percentage changes multiply. The order of the arithmetic is simple once each step is expressed as a multiplier.
Fraction calculator ↗
Why 1/3 + 1/4 is 7/12, not 2/7
Fractions can be added only after their pieces represent the same size. A common denominator supplies that shared unit.
Dividing fractions: what “multiply by the reciprocal” really does
Dividing by a fraction asks how many groups of that fractional size fit into another amount. The answer can be larger than the starting number.
Keep the fraction or use a decimal? Avoid premature rounding
A reduced fraction keeps a ratio exact. A short decimal display may only approximate that ratio, especially in repeated calculations.
Triangle calculator ↗
Triangle area without a height: use the three sides
Three valid side lengths determine a triangle’s area. Heron’s formula avoids measuring a perpendicular height that may be difficult to reach.
Why your three side lengths do not make a triangle
Three positive side measurements alone do not guarantee a triangle. The longest side must be shorter than the other two combined.
Double the sides, quadruple the area: triangle scaling explained
Lengths and areas do not scale in the same way. Confusing them can lead to large errors when resizing a pattern or estimating coverage.
Standard deviation ↗
Sample or population standard deviation: which should you select?
The correct denominator depends on whether you are describing the complete group of interest or estimating spread from a sample of a larger group.
What does a standard deviation of 2 actually mean?
Standard deviation describes spread around a mean, in the original measurement unit. It is not a universal score of good or bad performance.
One unusual value can transform your standard deviation
Squared deviations give distant values a strong influence. Investigate unusual observations before deciding what they mean or whether to remove them.
Average & median ↗
Average pay looks high? Compare the mean with the median
The mean and median describe different aspects of a dataset. An extreme value can separate them without either calculation being wrong.
Why averaging two averages can give the wrong answer
Group averages need group sizes. Without weights, a small group can influence the combined result as much as a much larger one.
What score do you need next to reach your target average?
Work backward from the total required for the final mean. This avoids confusing the target average with the next score itself.
Quadratic equation ↗
Quadratic formula mistakes usually start with the signs
Before using a formula, move every term to one side and identify a, b and c exactly as they appear.
No real roots does not mean no roots: read the discriminant
The sign of b²−4ac tells you the type of roots before you finish the quadratic formula.
Two roots, one usable answer: solve a rectangle problem
A quadratic equation describes a model. Its roots must still satisfy the original dimensions, units and physical restrictions.
Rectangle area ↗
Flooring or edging? Do not confuse area with perimeter
Area measures a surface; perimeter measures its boundary. The same room needs different calculations for these two purchases.
300 cm by 250 cm is 7.5 m², not 750 m²
Area conversions square the length conversion factor. Converting the lengths first is often the safest way to avoid a hundredfold error.
Measure an L-shaped room by splitting it into rectangles
The rectangle calculator can support an irregular room calculation if you divide the plan into nonoverlapping rectangular pieces.
Cuboid volume ↗
How many litres fit in a rectangular container?
Volume comes from three dimensions, and usable capacity comes from internal dimensions rather than the outside of a container.
Cubic metres and cubic centimetres: why the factor is a million
A length conversion is repeated in all three dimensions when you convert volume. Missing one factor can make a plausible-looking result wildly wrong.
A few centimetres of depth can change your material estimate
For a rectangular layer, volume is area times thickness. Unit mistakes in a small thickness can dominate the entire estimate.
Random number ↗
Does a random number range include both endpoints?
This random-number tool includes both the minimum and maximum. Counting the possible integers correctly is essential for interpreting probabilities.
Repeated random numbers are not automatically a bug
Randomness permits repetition. A sequence that is forced to avoid every repeat follows a different rule from independent draws.
A random number is not automatically a strong password
Unpredictable selection and a large enough set of possible outputs are separate requirements. A tiny range remains easy to guess even with a strong random source.
Ratio calculator ↗
Resize an image without stretching: solve the missing dimension
Keeping the width-to-height ratio preserves shape. You only need the old ratio and one new dimension to calculate the other.
Scale a recipe from 4 servings to 7 without guessing
A recipe’s serving count supplies a scaling factor. Apply it to ingredient quantities while treating cooking conditions as a separate question.
A 2:3 mixture is not 2/3 of the total
A part-to-part ratio compares two components. To find either component’s share of the total, add the ratio terms first.
GCD and LCM calculator ↗
Make the largest number of identical packs with no leftovers
The greatest common divisor answers how many identical groups can be formed when every item must be used and no item is split.
When will two repeating schedules coincide again?
The least common multiple identifies a shared positive interval when both events start together and repeat at exact whole-number intervals.
GCD simplifies a fraction; LCM builds a common denominator
These two integer operations solve different fraction problems. Choosing the right one keeps intermediate numbers small and the reasoning clear.
Permutation and combination calculator ↗
Permutation or combination? Ask whether swapping names changes the outcome
Order is the deciding distinction. The same people and the same selection size can produce very different counts when roles are involved.
Why a 4-digit PIN is not a simple permutation of 10 digits
The basic permutation formula forbids reuse. Codes usually allow a digit to appear more than once, so they use a different counting model.
Counting combinations is only the first step to a probability
A count becomes a probability only after you define the event and an appropriate equally likely sample space.
Circle calculator ↗
Radius or diameter? The mistake that quadruples circle area
The diameter crosses the whole circle; the radius goes from the center to the edge. Selecting the right known quantity matters as much as the number.
Only know the circumference? Recover the radius and area
A circumference measurement determines the dimensions of a circle if the boundary is genuinely circular and measured along the intended edge.
A 30 cm circle has much more area than a 20 cm circle
Diameter grows linearly, but circular area grows with the square of diameter. Comparing sizes by diameter alone understates the change in coverage.