.TH CALC 1 "November 2, 1985" "\(co 1980 Gary Perlman" "|STAT" "UNIX User's Manual"
.SH NAME
calc \- algebraic formula calculator with variables
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B calc
[files]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I calc
is a calculator for doing real arithmetic using familiar infix notation.
.I calc
uses a calculation method based on the popular program VisiCalc
in that it allows variables to be define by equations.
For example,
.ce
A = B + C * D
says that whatever B, C, and D are, A is equal to the above function of them.
If B, C, or D change, then so does the value of A because it depends on them.
(To set A to the value of a function of several variables so that it doesn't
change over time, you prepend a # before the = sign to emphasize you
want the current value.)
In
.I calc,
you get the prompt, "CALC:\ ", and you type in an expression to be calculated.
You can use numbers and even variables.
For example,

.nf
12 + 123/6
a = b^2 + log (sqrt (c))
AVeryLongVariableName = (a+b) - c*d/e ^ f%log (sqrt (exp (abs (x))))
.fi

The usual operators and precedences are available along with the
common mathematical functions.
Parentheses can be used for clarity.
.SH EXAMPLE
The following example computes the roots of the equation:
.ce
y = a * x^2  +  b * x  +  c
where a, b, and c are left undefined.
.sp
.nf
.ta 1i
y	= (((a * (x ^ 2)) + (b * x)) + c)
radical	= sqrt(((b * b) - ((4 * a) * c)))
root1	= ((-b - radical) / (2 * a))
root2	= ((-b + radical) / (2 * a))
.fi
.SH "SEE ALSO
The CALC Manual in the |STAT Handbook