gnome-calculator

Launch the GNOME Calculator GUI

$ gnome-calculator

$ gnome-calculator --solve [2^5 * 2 + 5]

$ gnome-calculator --version

gnome-calculator [OPTIONS...] [EXPRESSION]

-h, --help
    Show general help options for the command.

--help-all
    Show all help options, including GTK-specific and application-specific ones.

--help-gtk
    Show GTK-specific options, related to the graphical toolkit.

-s, --scientific
    Starts the calculator in scientific mode, providing advanced mathematical functions.

-p, --programming
    Starts the calculator in programming mode, allowing calculations in various number bases and bitwise operations.

-f, --financial
    Starts the calculator in financial mode, useful for financial computations like loan payments.

-b, --basic
    Starts the calculator in basic mode, the default mode for simple arithmetic.

-e, --equation=EXPRESSION
    Starts the calculator with a predefined equation or expression. The result will be displayed. For example, gnome-calculator -e "sqrt(16)".

--version
    Displays the application's version information and exits.

--display=DISPLAY
    Specifies the X display to use for launching the graphical interface.

gnome-calculator is the official and default calculator application for the GNOME desktop environment. It provides a user-friendly graphical interface for performing a wide range of calculations. Beyond basic arithmetic, it offers advanced functionalities including scientific calculations (trigonometry, logarithms, exponentiation), programming modes (binary, octal, hexadecimal operations, bitwise operations), and financial calculations (loan payments, compound interest). The application is designed to be intuitive for everyday use while powerful enough for more complex mathematical, scientific, and engineering tasks. It can also handle unit conversions and a history of previous calculations.

The gnome-calculator command primarily serves to launch the graphical user interface. While it supports passing an initial EXPRESSION using the --equation option, it does not provide a robust command-line interface for complex computations or scripting without launching the GUI. For purely command-line calculations or scripting, utilities like bc(1) or dc(1) are generally more suitable.

gnome-calculator offers several distinct modes tailored for different calculation needs. The Basic mode handles standard arithmetic. The Scientific mode provides advanced mathematical functions including trigonometry, logarithms, and constants. The Programming mode allows for calculations in various number bases (binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal) and bitwise operations. The Financial mode assists with common financial calculations like loan payments and interest. Users can switch between these modes easily from the graphical interface or by using command-line options upon launch.

gnome-calculator has been a fundamental component of the GNOME desktop environment since its early versions, providing a standard and accessible calculator utility for millions of users. Its development has focused on integrating seamlessly with the GNOME user experience, evolving with GTK+ toolkit updates and incorporating new features like scientific, financial, and programming modes to meet a broader range of user needs. It continues to be actively maintained as part of the GNOME Core Applications.

bc(1), dc(1), xcalc(1), qalculate(1)