How in the world does a calculator

[emudude]

Short answer:

You press the number buttons that you want, which are displayed nearly instantly on an LCD screen. A processor takes two binary numbers (which you entered, with their decimal equivalent written on the keys and displayed on the LCD) and inputs them to different logical pathways, depending on what operation needs to be performed, resulting in an 'answer' binary number which is sent back to the LCD control hardware which uses the numbers to drive the LCD display, which represents the binary number in decimal for you.

| |
| |
| |
| + |
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| |
(what you see)

0001 + 0001 => 0010
(what the processor does)
_ _ _
|
|
_ _ _
|
|
_ _ _
(the answer you see)

Although the representation isn't the best, the LCD I tried to visualise here is a 7-segment display, with all seven segments on for the number 8.

The Long Answer:

Go and earn a Bacherlor of Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering (this will still cover enough about digital logic to make you understand this as well) and marvel in the beauty that is computing.

 

[emudude]

Well, looks like the drawings didn't work because the spacing was deleted...oops lol

 

[Swampcat]

How calculators work.

 

[EarthlingX]

Wiki :
Binary numeral system

Von Neumann architecture

This probably better fits in Science 101

 

[MeteorWayne]

I think so too.

Make it so...

 

[emperor_of_localgroup]

How in the world does a calculator work? I understand how to use one but i just can't imagine how they work out all these sums and stuff. Could someone please explain to me how a calculator works as simple as possible??

Someone needs to take a class on Basic Digital Electronics.