You can do simple arithmetics

  % calc 2*2-8+16.789/3 + 3**2
  10.5963



or more complex expressions

  % calc (3**2/4)**(1/3)
  1.31037



and use functions (*See notes on functions):

  % calc sin(atan(0.95))*sqrt(4.32)
  1.43154



or factorials (*See notes on factorials):

  % calc 5! * 6!
  86400



Arithmetic conventions are respected: 3sqrt(2) [or 3 sqrt(2)] <=> 3*sqrt(2)

  % calc asind(0.5sqrt(2))    # arcsin of sqrt(2)/2 in degrees
  45


Users are expected to apply some common sense and not to use arithmetic
    expressions which can be interpretted as functions:
10(mp+me), (mp+me)c**2 are OK, but c(mp+me)
    (meaning c*(mp+me)) is not.


You can use some constants (*See notes on constants):

  % calc sin(30deg); calc asin(sqrt(2)/2)/deg # sin and asin in degrees
  0.5
  45

  % calc 1.e38/(4pi*(2kpc)**2) # Cyg X-1 flux in ergs/s/cm**2
  2.08944e-07

  % calc Lsun/(4pi*(150e6 km)**2)/(W/m**2)   # Solar flux on Earth 
  1353.17                                    # (Watt per square meter)

  % calc Rsun/c     # Solar radius in light seconds
  2.32157

  % calc 0.0232*c/(50 km/s/Mpc)/Mpc  # Distance to the Coma cluster (z=0.0232)
  139.104                            # in Mpc, assuming H0=50.

  % calc 10kpc/sqrt(2*10keV/mp)/year # How many years does it take a 10 keV
  7.06453e+06                        # proton to travel 10 kpc?

  % calc 800cm**2/(pi*(60inch)**2/4) # Chandra effective area at 1 keV compared
  0.0438561                          # to the area of the FLWO 60" telescope

       
    
    Although a space is not required between a number and a constant, it is
    mandatory between a constant and a number: 4pi*10**2 and
    4pi 10**2 are valid, but 4pi10**2 is not.


In fact, you can use calc to find the values of constants or do some units
conversion or both:

  % calc kpc; calc me    # kpc in cm and electron mass in grams
  3.08568e+21
  9.10939e-28

  % calc mp/lb     # proton mass in pounds
  3.6875e-27

  % calc 85mph/(km/hr)               # Tell your European friend what you've 
  136.794                            # got your recent speeding ticket for.
  But 85mph/(km/h) would be a gross underestimate because of quantum effects.


You can even write simple programs.

  % calc 'p=0.1; n=3; (p**n/n!)*exp(-p)'
  0.000150806



Note that the body of the program should be enclosed into single quotes.
You can use lower-case, single-character variables except for c,e,h,k,m,s
which are reserved for constants. Statements should be separated by
semicolon. Only the result of the last expression is printed unless you
explicitly use `print' --- but then it is easier to write a new Perl
script.



Functions:

All math. functions allowed in Perl (abs, atan2,
      cos, exp, int, log,
      rand, sin, sqrt) plus

ln - natural log     

lg - log_10          

r2d - convert radians to degrees 

atan, tan, acos, asin 

sind, cosd, tand, asind, acosd, 
      atand - degree-based trigonometric functions

[note that you also can use the `deg' constant:
	sind(30) <=> sin(30deg)]

nint - nearest integer

fact - factorial

C(n,k) = n!/(k!*(n-k)!)




Factorials:

When you use `!', you have to put a space after it, otherwise the shell is
likely to mess things up. A safer way to calculate factorials is the
      fact()
function. Use C(n,k) to calculate n!/(k!*(n-k)!)



Constants

Use `calc -h' to print out the defined constants.