How to Write Words With a Calculator

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Students have been spelling words on calculators in math class for decades. Luckily, that means there are long lists of words you can spell on a calculator and the numbers you need to make them. Older calculators work better for this trick, so ask your parents if they still have their school calculators lying around somewhere. See how many words you can spell!

Calculator Help

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using the Hexadecimal Mode

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  1. Not all calculators have a hexadecimal mode, but if yours does, you will have more letters to spell words with. You will be able to tell if your calculator has a hexadecimal mode if you see the letters A-F on the keyboard. [1]
    • Calculators that have hexadecimal mode include Casios and Texas Instruments.
  2. In hexadecimal mode, you will have the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F. You can also use the numbers 1 for I, 0 for O, and 5 for S. [2]
    • For example, you can spell the word "see" using 5EE.
    • Some other words you can spell include BASS, DIE, BOSS, DOE, and SEA.
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  3. Create even more combinations by turning your calculator upside down. When you turn your calculator upside down in hexadecimal mode, you can turn b into q and d into p. Along with q and p, you can make the letters O, D, I, Z, E, h, A, S, g/q, L, B, and G from numbers. The possibilities are endless!
    • b=q
    • d=p
    • 0=O/D
    • 1=I
    • 2=Z
    • 3=E
    • 4=h/A
    • 5=S
    • 6=g/q
    • 7=L
    • 8=B
    • 9=G/b
    • You can also use the number 2 instead of the word "to" or "too."
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Turning Your Calculator Upside Down

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  1. Each number looks like a different letter when you turn it upside down. You can use those letters to write lots of words. Here is a list of letters you can use: [3]
    • 0=O/D
    • 1=I
    • 2=Z
    • 3=E
    • 4=h/A
    • 5=S
    • 6=g/q
    • 7=L/t
    • 8=B
    • 9=G/b
  2. To see if you will be able to spell the word, check your list to see if all of the letters match up with a number. If a letter you want to use isn't on the list, you won't be able to spell the word. [4]
    • "HELLO" is a classic word to spell on a calculator . Notice that all of the letters are on the list.
    • Some other words that you can spell on a calculator are IGLOOS, GIGGLE, SHOES, and EGG. Look at the list of letters and see what words you can spell with them.
  3. Write the number that matches it on the list underneath each letter. These are the numbers you will use to spell your word. Each letter should have one number. [5]
    • To spell "HELLO," the matching numbers are 43770.
  4. Start with the last letter of the word. When you turn your calculator upside down, the order of the letters will be backward—that is, in the right order to spell your word! [6]
    • For example, to spell "HELLO," you will reverse the numbers so that they read 0.7734.
    • If the word ends with an "o," start with 0 then add a decimal (.) so that when you press "enter" or "=" the 0 will still be there.
  5. Press enter and turn your calculator upside down. Some calculators have an "enter" button and some calculators only have an = button. Press whichever one your calculator has. Flip your calculator around so that the top of your calculator is closest to you. Your word will appear! [7]
  6. To take the guess work out of whether or not you can spell a certain word, look for a list of words that have already been figured out. Here are a few examples [8] :
    • 376006 spells GOOGLE
    • 707 spells LOL
    • 0.08 spells BOO
    • 53177187714 spells HILLBILLIES
    • 500761 spells IGLOOS
    • 38 spells BE, 338 spells BEE
    • 55378 spells BLESS
    • 0.208 spells BOZO
    • 663 spells EGG
    • 336 spells GEE
    • 376616 spells GIGGLE
    • 378806 spells GOBBLE
    • 637 spells LEG
    • 607 spells LOG
    • 53507 spells LOSES
    • 3080 spells OBOE
    • 53045 spells SHOES
    • 8075 spells SLOB
    • 8008 spells BOOB
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  • Question
    How do I spell "hello" on a calculator?
    Community Answer
    0.7734 spells "hello".
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  • Question
    How do you spell ocean?
    Community Answer
    You can't. There is not a "C," "A," or "N" that can be made using numbers.
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  • Question
    How do I spell Laura on a calculator?
    Community Answer
    You can't spell Laura on a calculator. There are no a, u, or r letters to write on the calculator.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      • Writing swear words or negative messages to friends as a prank may seem funny, but should be avoided since it risks harming your relationships or getting in trouble. Consider more positive uses for spelled words.
      • If your calculator has secondary functions, look for buttons labeled things like "DRG" or "2nd" to access additional features. The manual can explain special shortcuts you may not notice at first.
      • Be extremely cautious about downloading any app, game or program to your calculator, especially from an untrusted source. These could contain viruses or malware designed to hack your device.
      • Many calculators have "alpha" buttons that enable entering letters directly instead of writing words upside-down. Refer to your model's manual or explore the buttons to unlock letter keys.
      • When bored in class, resist the temptation to play around on your calculator too obviously. Teachers can still notice the button clicks. Stay focused as best you can on the material.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/2yjKGsLSF9A?t=42
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/2yjKGsLSF9A?t=42
      3. ↑ http://latteier.com/calculator/
      4. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/education/datablog/2014/jan/10/words-you-can-write-on-a-calculator
      5. ↑ http://chalkdustmagazine.com/blog/beghilos/
      6. ↑ http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-beg1.htm
      7. ↑ http://latteier.com/calculator/
      8. ↑ http://www.mathsquad.com/calculatorwords.pdf

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to write words with a calculator, start by memorizing what numbers look like which letters when the calculator is held upside down. For example, 3's look like E's and 7's look like L's. Once you know what word you want to type, enter the numbers backward and then hold the calculator upside down to see the word. For example, type 379009 in your calculator to spell out GOOGLE. Or, try typing 5317 to spell out LIES. To learn how to type out more words, like "SORRY" and "LOL," scroll down!

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