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Key Takeaways

Type equations into Google to use it like a calculator. Use operators like * to multiply or / to divide. You can also search Google for "calculator" to view a more traditional calculator interface.

Google isn't just for finding resources on the internet. The search engine also offers a free calculator built right in that you can use to perform both basic and complex calculations. We'll show you how to use the Google online calculator right here.

Related: How to Search Google Like a Pro: 11 Tricks You Have to Know

Make Google Your Default Search Engine for Quick Calculations

To be able to perform calculations right from your web browser's address bar, set Google as your browser's default search engine. That way, you don't have to open the Google site every time you need your calculator.

You can set Google as your default search engine in Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Of course, if you use Chrome, Google should already be set as the default.

Once you've set the default, you can perform the following calculations right from your address bar.

How to Use the Google Online Calculator

You can use Google to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers. You can also raise a number to a power, find a number's square root, add and subtract a specific percentage, and even find the percentage of a number.

Basic Calculations

Let's begin with a basic calculation. What would be the result of

        5 + 5
    

? Google will answer it for you if you type the following:

5+5 or five plus five

Add numbers using Google Search.

While you're adding numbers, you can add percentages as well. For example, to add 10% of 600 to 600 , you'd type the following;

600+10%

Add percentage with Google Search.

Subtractions can be performed by using a "-" (minus) sign. For example, to subtract 5 from 20 , type the following:

20-5 or twenty minus five

Perform subtraction with Google Search.

To subtract a specific percentage from a number, say if you want to deduct 25% from 1,000 , enter the following:

1,000-25%

Subtract percentage using Google Search.

Numbers can be multiplied by using the "*" (asterisk) sign. You can use the "x" sign in place of the asterisk as well.

The following multiplies 10 by 5 :

10*5

Multiply numbers with Google Search.

To perform division, enter the number to divide, type the forward-slash sign, and type the number to divide by. For example, to divide 200 by 8 , enter the following:

200/8

Divide numbers using Google Search.

You can raise a number to a power by entering the following:

5^5

Raise a number to a power on Google Search.

To find the square root of a number, use the following. Here, you'll get the square root of 225 .

sqrt(225)

Find a number's square root using Google Search.

To find the percentage amount of a specific number, say 5% of 1,500 , try this:

5% of 1,500

Find the percentage amount of a number.

You can also combine multiple mathematical equations and choose which ones should be performed first. For example, you can perform addition and division with a single formula.

In the equation below, Google will first divide 20 by 4 (because these numbers are in parentheses) and then add the resulting number to the equation.

15+5+(20/4)

Perform multiple math calculations with Google Search.

Convert Foreign Currency Values

Another helpful feature is the ability to convert one currency to another using a real-time rate. For example, you can find out how many Great British Pounds (GBP) you'll be able to buy with, say, $1,000 dollars.

To perform that calculation, enter the following on Google:

1,000 USD to GBP

Convert a currency using Google Search.

Convert Various Units of Measure

Google's online calculator also allows you to convert various units of measure, including miles to kilometers, pounds to kilograms, and more.

To perform a miles-to-km conversion, use the following:

100 miles to km

To convert pounds to kilograms, enter this:

50 lbs to kg

To convert inches to centimeters, use this:

10 inches to cm

You can also convert the weather measurement from Fahrenheit to Celsius and vice versa.

100 Fahrenheit to Celsius

To convert minutes to hours, you can enter:

180 minutes to hours

Search for "Calculator" to View a More Traditional Interface

If you want a more traditional calculator experience, search "calculator" in Google. The search engine will bring up a traditional calculator interface you can use to manually enter your equations. Simply click or tap the numbers and operators.


Google's built-in online calculator is a fantastic tool. However, the search engine's abilities don't stop there. While you're testing the calculator, try finding similar images with Google Search. You can upload a photo from your device, and Google will find and show you all the pictures that match yours.

Related: How to Reverse Image Search With Google Images