- Calculator can solve math problems with graphs and variables
- All your calculations are stored in the Notes app
- With Apple Pencil you can even solve handwritten equations
Apple always said it wouldn’t bring the Calculator app to the iPad until it could do something special with it, and this might just be it. After 15 years, there’s finally a Calculator app in iPadOS 18 – and a beefed up Calculator experience for iPhone too. Chief among the new features is the impressive Math Notes, which allows users to solve equations, create graphs, and more.
This feature is available as part of the Apple Intelligence Beta in iOS 18.1, and will require an AI-compatible device.
Solving math
To access the feature, open the Calculator app and press the calculator button in the lower left corner. Choose Math Notes.
Tap the New Note button in the corner to get started. Type out a sum and the app will automatically give you the answer, updating as you add more steps. Tap the return key to insert an equals sign and commit the answer. Simple.
Use variables
Try declaring a variable, like “y = 12” or “rent = $1750”. You can then use these figures on subsequent lines, for example to calculate yearly expenses with “y x rent”. Change the variables and the figures will magically update anywhere they’re referenced across the note. It’s really handy for quick expense calculations, working out tips, doing homework, or keeping track of changing data.
Instant graphs
You can even mock up graphs based on your equations. Type an equation that defines both axes, some variation of y = x. Then tap the equals button and look for Create Graph from the context menu. Once created, you can tap the graph for a few settings. Use the nodes around the edges to resize it, and pinch to adjust the scale. There’s a pop-up menu that will allow you to customize colors and so on, too.
Take note
All the Math Notes you create will be automatically saved to the regular Notes app, and it’s worth noting you can actually kick off a calculation session from there as well. Create a new note and start typing a sum – once you add an equals sign, the app will catch on and switch to a Math Note.
Handwritten sums
This is all well and good on iPhone. But Math Notes gets even more magical when combined with iPad and Apple Pencil. Here, users can scribble down mathematical expressions and see them solved in their own handwriting. You can use all the mathematical expressions you’d expect, or draw a line under a list of numbers to get their total.
You’ll need to be relatively neat, else you’ll see a red border indicating the app doesn’t understand what you’ve written. If this happens, use the eraser or undo button and try again. But when it works, it feels fantastic to jot down numbers as if on a notepad and see the answers appear as you write.