I’ve covered a couple of calculators here at CN – eCalc (review) and Encalc (review). Today Microsoft released Mathematics 4.0 – a, “a graphing calculator that plots in 2D and 3D, step-by-step equation solving, and useful tools to help students with math and science studies.” This calculator looks like it would be perfect for students. It would be even better if the equations and graphs could be shared through the “Microsoft Cloud” that they are pimping on tv lately.

Here’s a feature list for the new Microsoft Mathematics 4.0:

• Computing standard mathematical functions such as roots and logarithms
• Solving equations and inequalities.
• Solving triangles.
• Converting measurements from one unit to another
• Computing trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine
• Performing matrix and vector operations, such as inverses and cross-products.
• Computing basic statistics, such as mean and standard deviation.
• Performing operations on complex numbers
• Plotting 2D and 3D graphs in Cartesian, polar, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates.
• Finding derivatives and integrals, limits and sums and products of series
• Finding, plotting, and solving common formulas and equations.

I wonder if students today still run out and buy the latest HP scientific calculator like they did when I was a youngster.

The calculator can be downloaded from Microsoft and is available for most Windows systems in both 32- and 64-bit versions. Sorry, no Mac version is available although this does look like it would be great on an iPad/Android Tablet.

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With students going back to class this month, a new online scientific calculator has launched to help with all of your E=mc² needs. Earlier this summer we reviewed an excellent online calculator named eCalc. Encalc is as scientific as you can get. The company describes the calculator as, "Its strength lies in its ability handle units and dimensional analysis, to define variables and its large database of constants. Parenthesis and scientific formulas are also supported."

The entry box can understand real language questions — e.g. "2 cm + 3 meters expressed in feet". There’s a tape of all of your computations for easy reference and if you click a computation it brings it back to edit.

Encalc is a great example of a Web tool that needs an embed option for students and teachers. When your computation is completed, you may want to share it with notes.

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Found via Download Squad and Orli Yakuel, eCalc is a free online calculator. There are two calculators – a basic calculator and a scientific version. As Drew noted in his review, Mac and Windows machines come with calculators, but this is a Web world baby!

The calculator functionality is slick, sweet looking and easily readable. I like the size of the buttons and the function tabs. Perhaps they should allow you to move the right panel below so that it could be aligned to the right size of the screen at all times. There’s all kinds of root solvers, complex equation offerings and plenty of other math geek functions.

eCalc also offers a calculator gallery so you can learn about each handheld calculator and read reviews. There are also links to purchase via Amazon.

What would be interesting is a share function so that you can share your computations with other classmates or team members. Perhaps another addon would offer a way to save functions and return to them later on.

Here’s a video demo of how the calculator works:

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