How to Create a Simple Calculator using Python
April 10, 2020
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a simple
calculator using Python.
To start, I’ll share the source code that you can use
right away. I’ll then perform a quick demonstration,
followed by an explanation of each component that
was used in the code to build the calculator
in Python.
This is how the calculator would look like:
Source Code to Create the Calculator using Python
You may run the following code in Python in order to
launch the calculator:
import tkinter as tk
root= tk.Tk()
canvas1 = tk.Canvas(root, width = 300,
height = 300)
canvas1.pack()
entry1 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 100,
window=entry1)
entry2 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 140,
window=entry2)
entry3 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=entry3)
label0 = tk.Label(root,
text='Calculator')
label0.config(font=('helvetica', 14))
canvas1.create_window(150, 40,
window=label0)
label1 = tk.Label(root, text='Type
Value 1:')
label1.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 100,
window=label1)
label2 = tk.Label(root, text='Type
Value 2:')
label2.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 140,
window=label2)
label3 = tk.Label(root,
text='Result:')
label3.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 240,
window=label3)
def add():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label4 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)+float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label4)
buttonAdd = tk.Button(text='+',
command=add, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(90, 190,
window=buttonAdd)
def sub():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label5 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)-float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label5)
buttonSub = tk.Button(text='–',
command=sub, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(140, 190,
window=buttonSub)
def mul():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label6 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)*float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label6)
buttonMul = tk.Button(text='x',
command=mul, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(190, 190,
window=buttonMul)
def div():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label7 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)/float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label7)
buttonDiv = tk.Button(text='/',
command=div, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(240, 190,
window=buttonDiv)
root.mainloop()
Using the Calculator in Python
You should now see the following display:
Let’s say that you want to sum the values of 4 and 3.
You can then type those values in the entry boxes,
and then click on the ‘+’ button to add those values:
The result that you’ll get is 7. Which is indeed the
sum of 4 and 3:
And if you decide to multiply those values instead,
then simply click on the ‘x’ to multiply the values, and
you’ll get the result of 12:
In the final section, I’ll explain each component that
was used in the code.
How to Build the Calculator in Python
Import the tkinter package and create the Canvas
The first thing that you’ll need to do is to import
the tkinter package. The tkinter package can be
used to create a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in
Python.
You’ll also need to add the canvas, which is your
GUI display in which you can place items, such as
buttons, entry boxes, etc.
import tkinter as tk
root= tk.Tk()
canvas1 = tk.Canvas(root, width = 300,
height = 300)
canvas1.pack()
Create the entry boxes
Next, you’ll need to create the entry boxes to collect
the data from the user.
The first two entry boxes are used to collect the
Value 1 and Value 2. While the third entry box is just
for visual purposes, where the result of the
calculation will be displayed.
entry1 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 100,
window=entry1)
entry2 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 140,
window=entry2)
entry3 = tk.Entry (root)
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=entry3)
Add the labels
There are 4 labels that are currently displayed on
the GUI:
Calculator
Type Value 1:
Type Value 2:
Result:
You may edit the text, format and/or location where
the labels will be displayed.
label0 = tk.Label(root,
text='Calculator')
label0.config(font=('helvetica', 14))
canvas1.create_window(150, 40,
window=label0)
label1 = tk.Label(root, text='Type
Value 1:')
label1.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 100,
window=label1)
label2 = tk.Label(root, text='Type
Value 2:')
label2.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 140,
window=label2)
label3 = tk.Label(root,
text='Result:')
label3.config(font=('helvetica', 10))
canvas1.create_window(100, 240,
window=label3)
Create the functions and buttons
There are 4 functions in the code:
add – to add the values
sub – to subtract the values
mul – to multiply the values
div – to divide the values
For each of those 4 functions, there is an associated
button that can be used to trigger the function. For
example, the ‘buttonAdd’ will trigger the add function
to add the values that the user typed in the entry
boxes.
def add():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label4 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)+float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label4)
buttonAdd = tk.Button(text='+',
command=add, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(90, 190,
window=buttonAdd)
def sub():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label5 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)-float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label5)
buttonSub = tk.Button(text='–',
command=sub, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(140, 190,
window=buttonSub)
def mul():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label6 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)*float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label6)
buttonMul = tk.Button(text='x',
command=mul, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(190, 190,
window=buttonMul)
def div():
v1 = entry1.get()
v2 = entry2.get()
label7 = tk.Label(root, text=
float(v1)/float(v2),font=('helvetica',
10, 'bold'),bg='white')
canvas1.create_window(210, 240,
window=label7)
buttonDiv = tk.Button(text='/',
command=div, bg='green', fg='white',
font=('helvetica', 9, 'bold'), width =
5)
canvas1.create_window(240, 190,
window=buttonDiv)
root.mainloop()
Don’t forget to add the root.mainloop() at the end.
