Advanced Math Calculations Using Spotlight

You can do more than just basic calculations with Spotlight on a Mac. You can use parenthesis, exponents, trig functions, include units and much more.

Comments: 12 Responses to “Advanced Math Calculations Using Spotlight”

    Bob
    10 months ago

    Curious... do you know of a way to do quick ∆% calculations with either the Mac baked in calculator, spotlight Siri etc?

    Thats something I'd use multiple times a day.

    Excellent videos... Thanks Gary!

    10 months ago

    Bob: You'll need to describe what you want more than that. Give me an example.

    Dan Parton
    10 months ago

    On my M1 24" Mac, when I follow the formula you give for tan(45), it comes up with tan(45) = 1.619775... The answer should be 1. What's wrong?

    10 months ago

    Dan: If you just give it a number, it will assume radians. See the video. Use tan(45deg) or tand(45)

    Sheldon
    10 months ago

    Thanks bunches

    Sheldon
    10 months ago

    Please excuse my dear aunt Sally PEMDAS thanks for noting operation sequence

    Bob
    10 months ago

    Hi Gary... ∆%, (or %CH) as often found on HP calculators. Say something was $69.99 yesterday & $49.99 today, it's a 28.58% reduction. It's easy enough to calculate manually, but if a Mac calculator/spotlight/Siri shortcut exists it would be nice; I do those calculations multiple times a day. Thanks!

    Dan Parton
    10 months ago

    Thanks, Gary. The "If you just give it a number, it will assume radians. See the video. Use tan(45deg) or tand(45)" works correctly. Something to note, the calculator in the M1 doesn't need the "deg" designation. Formula is "45, click tan, = 1" Interesting to say the least.

    10 months ago

    Bob: So just (69.99-49.99)/69.99 gives you that result. I don't think there is an easier way.

    10 months ago

    Dan: The Mac Calculator app, in Scientific mode, has a Deg/Rad button at the bottom left corner. So if you switch to degrees (in which case the button shows "Rad") then works that way, yes.

    Ken Nellis
    10 months ago

    Good things to know. Thanx! Playing along with your video, discovered after entering a calculation in Spotlight, if I hit Return, it launches Calculator with the answer in it. Not sure how useful that is, but kinda neat.

    Jerry
    9 months ago

    Really helpful. Looks like a lot of these cool tricks are available, for what it's worth, using Spotlight on the iPhone, too.

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