A calculator for engineers

Write a formula with named values, use pi and SI shorthand such as 50k, keep units through the calculation, and convert the result in the same line. The working stays on screen for the next person who checks it.

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Engineering work is full of quick checks that do not deserve a spreadsheet: is this stress inside the limit, how much will this bar grow in the sun, what current does this load draw. This calculator for engineers lets you name each value, write the formula as it appears in your notes, and keep units attached to the numbers so a millimeter does not silently become a meter.

Each example shows the answers Notes Calculator gives. Choose Open in Notes Calculator to open one in the web app and change the inputs.

Area with the built-in pi

pi is built in, and a radius in millimeters gives an area in square millimeters that you can convert in the same expression.

Area of a 50 mm radius
NoteResult
radius = 50 mm 50 mm
pi * radius ^ 2 7,853.98 mm²
pi * radius ^ 2 to cm² 78.54 cm²

Stress with SI shorthand

Write large values with k for thousands. A load in newtons over an area in square millimeters gives megapascals.

Axial stress
NoteResult
load = 50k 50,000
area = 200 200
Stress in MPa: load / area 250
Load in N, area in mm². 1 N/mm² is 1 MPa.

Current and power

Ohm’s law with named values: divide the voltage by the resistance for the current, multiply them for the power.

Current and power for a 1.2k resistor
NoteResult
voltage = 240 240
resistance = 1.2k 1,200
current = voltage / resistance 0.20
Power in watts: voltage * current 48
Voltage in V, resistance in ohms, current in A.

Thermal expansion

Length times the expansion coefficient times the temperature change gives the growth, and the result can come out in millimeters directly.

Expansion of a 12 m steel member
NoteResult
length = 12 m 12 m
coefficient = 0.000012 1.20e-5
temperature rise = 40 40
length * coefficient * temperature rise to mm 5.76 mm
Coefficient per °C for structural steel; temperature rise in °C.

For drawings in inches on a metric shop floor, pressure ratings in psi and bar, and tolerance stack-ups, see the engineering unit converter. Number bases and bit math are covered in the hex, binary and octal guide, and how Notes Calculator compares with Soulver, Numi and Parsify is on the comparison pages.

Start free at app.notescalculator.com, or see what Lifetime adds if you want a note per project synced between the office and the lab.

FAQ

Questions from engineers

Is pi built in?

Yes. Type pi in any expression; you do not need to define it. Other constants and functions, such as sqrt and the trigonometric functions, are listed in the documentation.

What does SI shorthand like 50k mean?

A k after a number multiplies it by a thousand, so 50k is 50,000 and 1.2k is 1,200. M works the same way for millions.

Which units can I convert?

Everyday engineering units for length, area, volume, mass, temperature, pressure, time and data storage, among others. The engineering unit converter works through drawings, pressure ratings and tolerance stack-ups.

Can it replace my analysis software?

No. It is a scratchpad for the quick checks around your CAD, FEA or circuit tools: a sanity check on a load, a conversion for a supplier, a figure for an email.

Try it on your own numbers.

Notes Calculator is free with one note, in your browser and on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. Lifetime adds unlimited notes and sync.

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