The MarkCalc works very much like a regular calculator. If you want to add two numbers together, you place the cursor in a "Command" box, and then click the appropriate buttons on the calculator keypad (e.g. to add five and five, you push "5" then "+" then "5". (You can also type "5+5" directly using the Mac's keyboard.) Suppose there is only one command row. To make the calculator carry out the command in that row, you push the "Do It" button. The result of the calculation is shown in the result window. Later we discuss multiple rows.
The MarkCalc can also do subtraction, multiplication, division, and
exponentiation. The symbol used to denote exponentiation (raising to
a power) is written
^
Thus if you wanted to calculate 3 squared, you would enter
3^2
You can use either the calculator keypad or the Mac's keyboard.
As you may have already guessed, the calculator lets you specify if you want normal arithmetic or modular arithmetic. If, for instance, you wanted the addition "5+5" to be modulo 6, you would have to type 6 in the corresponding "Mod" box. Now when you press "Do It", the value 4 will appear in the result window.