Workflow

Common syntax pitfalls

Hissab is strict by design — most mistakes error immediately. The subtle cases are expressions that are valid syntax but mean something different from what you intended.

The value needs a source unit

10 to weekly is invalid because to only names a target unit. Write the source unit on the value.

10 yearly to weekly

Dates do not use dashes or slashes

2020-08-07 is subtraction, and 08/07/2020 is division — both can return numbers instead of dates. Use dot-separated dates or written months.

2020.08.07
7 aug 2020

Unknown words are not ignored

Expressions such as what is 10 + 10, 5 apples + 3 apples, and 100 kmh are invalid because of unknown words or units. Strip filler words and check unit spellings.

10 + 10
100 kph
100 kilometer/hour

m means million

m is the million multiplier, not meter. Spell out meter, especially in compound units.

5 meter to miles
9.8 meter/second^2

Parenthesize fractional exponents

256 ^ 1/8 means (256 ^ 1) / 8, not the eighth root. Write:

256 ^ (1/8)

Functions need parentheses

abs -5, max 1, 2, and avg 1, 2, 3 are invalid — function arguments go in parentheses.

abs(-5)
max(1, 2)
avg(1, 2, 3)

Symbolic variable names are limited

Only x, y, and z are free symbolic variables. Other names are unknown words unless they were defined earlier as labels.

2x + 3y

For multiplying symbols, write an operator or a space. xy is one unknown word, not x*y.

x*y
x y

Percent with plus or minus is not a literal decimal

10% + 50 means "add 10 percent of 50 to 50". If you need the bare decimal, write it as a decimal.

0.1 + 50

Hexadecimal conversion target is hex

Use hex as the base conversion target, not hexadecimal.

255 to hex

Color conversions need color

Color format conversions require the color keyword.

#8100ff to rgb color
#8100ff to hex color

Currency rates are not fetched locally

The local calculator engine does not fetch currency rates. Include the rate as a literal value, or use the AI assistant with realtime search when available.