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Every modern Linux desktop distribution comes with a default GUI-based calculator app. On the other hand, if your workspace is full of terminal windows, and you would rather crunch some numbers within one of those terminals quickly, you are probably looking for a command-line calculator. In this category, GNU bc (short for "basic calculator") is […]Continue reading...The post What is a good command-line calculator on Linux appeared first on Xmodulo.Related FAQs:How to look up dictionary via command line on Linux How to speed up directory navigation in a Linux terminal How to access Linux command cheat sheets from the command line What are useful CLI tools for Linux system admins

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I'm sorry to say that 'bc' is a terrible CLI calculator. If you want something good and useful try:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/calc/files/calc/
Lots more features, a lot easier to use, and a lot more predictable.

bc is horrible, and since it uses '1' for true and '0' for false, it's awkward to use in scripts (for float comparison, for example). Its only strength is that it's installed by default.

I used orpie sometimes. It's an RPN calculator, so if that's not your fetish it could be awkward, but its interface is brilliant, better than other GUI RPN calculators.