# Math Help - strange problem in my calculator while performing trigo-function

1. ## strange problem in my calculator while performing trigo-function

sqrt 3 times sin30 - cos30 = sqrt 3 over 2 - sqrt 3 over 2 = 0
but when i press this in my calculator, it appears -5 x 10^(-12). why is that?

2. Originally Posted by afeasfaerw23231233
sqrt 3 times sin30 - cos30 = sqrt 3 over 2 - sqrt 3 over 2 = 0
but when i press this in my calculator, it appears -5 x 10^(-12). why is that?
Hah! My calculator does a better job than yours! Mine gives me $1 \times 10^{-14}$.

Your calculator uses an algorithm to determine what the value of the trig functions are. It doesn't know that $cos(30^o) = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$, it knows that $cos(30^o) \approx 0.866025$ or so. So sometimes instead of giving the correct answer it will give a close approximation.

The only time you would ever notice this is when you calculate something close to 0: then scientific notation takes over and you can see some really small answers.

Trig functions aren't the only things that can cause this. Square roots, logarithms, etc. Anything that the calculator needs to approximate.

-Dan

3. well. when i use the calculator in my computer (Gcalctool 5.9.14), it gives ''0''!
that means it is cleverer than our handheld calculators?

4. Originally Posted by afeasfaerw23231233
well. when i use the calculator in my computer (Gcalctool 5.9.14), it gives ''0''!
that means it is cleverer than our handheld calculators?
No, it is probably rounding the answer off, whereas our calculators are not doing that.

-Dan