The usefulness of a calculator is defined (for the most part) by the number and type of operations it can process. However, there are times when we would simply like to write what we're trying to solve, instead of entering it one parameter at a time. Several online services allow us to do this and much more, but if you prefer a lightweight, offline alternative, you should take a close look at CalcPad.
Any doubts about basic calculations and unit conversions can be resolved with the help of Google's search engine. All we have to do is enter them in the correct order and format, a detail that isn't always simple. Of course, we also have more robust options at our disposal, like Wolfram Alpha, and the folks at Casio offer a free online scientific calculator through Keisan Calculator.
However, all those solutions share the same dynamic: we enter the values first to get the result afterward, and if we make a mistake, we have to start from scratch. So how about solving different elements as we write them? If you think something like that would be useful, our recommendation is to download a copy of CalcPad, which essentially behaves like a hybrid between a notepad and a scientific calculator.
CalcPad supports a total of 117 functions, and has an entire chapter on its official page explaining the adopted order of operations (Note: It goes well beyond the classic PEMDAS). The help section includes images with the most popular functions, and some syntax examples. We can define variables, look up constants, expand and transform the description of numbers, request answers using words, convert to fractions with words, calculate tips, convert units, and even currencies/cryptocurrencies.
If that isn't enough for you, you should explore the dedicated calculators section. There you will find graphing functions, percentages, roots, an even broader unit converter, and even a color calculator, which will give you an exact result regardless of the format you use. The constants section offers a periodic table, pi, tau, almost everything from Euler, Pythagoras, the "God units" (basically Planck and Dirac), and planetary-solar-galactic values.
CalcPad is portable, requires no installation, takes up less than 2.5 megabytes of space, and is also free (its developer accepts donations). Its only major limitation is that the syntax is tied to the English language, but that doesn't prevent us from recommending it.
Official website and download: Click here
