Numeric keypad

A numeric keypad, number pad, numpad, or ten key,[1][2][3] is

the palm-sized, 17-key section of a standard computer keyboard,
usually on the far right. It provides calculator-style efficiency for
entering numbers. The idea of a 10-key number pad cluster was
originally introduced by Tadao Kashio, the developer of Casio
electronic calculators.

The numpad's keys are digits 0 to 9 , + (addition), -

(subtraction), * (multiplication) and / (division) symbols, .
(decimal point), Num Lock , and ↵ Enter keys.[4] Laptop keyboards
often do not have a numpad, but may provide numpad input by
holding a modifier key (typically labelled Fn ) and operating keys
on the standard keyboard. Particularly large laptops (typically those
with a 15.6 inch screen or larger) may have space for a real numpad,
and many companies sell separate numpads which connect to the
host laptop by a USB connection (many of these also add an Numeric keypad, integrated with
additional spacebar off to the side of the zero where the thumb is keyboard
located, as well as an additional 00 key typical of modern adding
machines and cash registers).

Sometimes it is necessary to distinguish between a key on the

numpad and an equivalent key elsewhere on the keyboard. For
example, depending on the software in use,[a] pressing the numpad's
0 key may produce different results than pressing the alphanumeric
0 key.[b] In such cases, the numpad-specific key may be indicated
as e.g. Numpad 0 , NumPad0 [c], Num 0 , or likewise to remove
ambiguity.

Numeric keypads usually operate in two modes. When Num Lock is

off, keys 8 , 6 , 2 , and 4 act like arrow/navigation keys up, right,
down, and left; and 7 , 9 , 3 , and 1 act like Home , PgUp ,
PgDn , and End , respectively. When Num Lock is on, digit keys
produce the corresponding digit. On Apple Macintosh computers,
which lack a Num Lock key, the numeric keypad always produces
only numbers; the Num Lock key is replaced by the Clear key .
Numeric keypad, as a separate unit.
The arrangement of digits on numeric keypads with the 7 - 8 - 9 For use with a shorter keyboard or
keys two rows above the 1 - 2 - 3 keys is derived from calculators laptop which omits the numberpad
and cash registers. It is notably different from the layout of
telephone Touch-Tone keypads which have the 1 - 2 - 3 keys on
top and 7 - 8 - 9 keys on the third row.

Numeric keypads are useful for entering long sequences of numbers quickly, for example in spreadsheets,
financial/accounting programs, and calculators. Input in this style is similar to a calculator or adding
machine.
A numpad is also useful on Windows PCs for typing alt codes for special symbols, for example the degree
symbol, °, with Alt + 0 1 7 6 . Technically the previous example's method using a leading 0 (ANSI alt
code) only works when used with the numpad's own keys, so it could be written less ambiguously (if
necessary) using one of the notations mentioned above, e.g.
Alt + Numpad 0 Numpad 1 Numpad 7 Numpad 6 . When entering a hex Unicode value, only the leading '+'
needs to be the Numpad + key, so this notation can be used sparingly, e.g. Alt + Numpad + 1 1 b yields
ě.[d]

Contents
Measuring speed
Chinese input methods
Computer games
See also
Notes
References

Measuring speed
Ten key speed is measured in Keystrokes per Hour (KPH). The minimum required speed for many data
entry jobs is around 9000 KPH with good accuracy. A speed of 12,000 is considered excellent.

Chinese input methods

The numeric keypad is used by some systems for input of Chinese characters, for example CKC Chinese
Input System and Q9 input method.

Computer games
Numeric keypads are also used
for playing some computer
games where the player must
control a character, for example
roguelikes. Unlike arrow keys,
the numeric keypad allows
diagonal movement. For
keyboards without a numeric
keypad, some games provide
alternative movement keys, such
as classic Rogue's HJKL keys.

The numeric keypad can also be A 104-key PC US English QWERTY keyboard layout with the numeric
an alternative to the WASD keys keypad at the far right.
for navigation in computer
gaming. This can be an attractive
option for left-handed people who prefer to use the mouse with their left hand.
See also
Alphonse Chapanis

Notes
a. E.g. Blender makes specific use of numpad keys for several keyboard shortcuts.
b. I.e. the 0 key above the letter keys and to the right of the 9 key on a typical QWERTY
keyboard.
c. E.g. as defined in C#'s System.ConsoleKey enumeration:[5]

106 NumPad0 = 0x60,

107 NumPad1 = 0x61,
108 NumPad2 = 0x62,
109 NumPad3 = 0x63,
110 ...

d. Some applications (such as Firefox) will interpret hex numpad alt codes using letters a – f as
user-interface commands, e.g. to open a menu.

References
1. "What Is a Ten Key? (with pictures)" (http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-ten-key.htm).
WiseGeek. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
2. Pasewark, William Robert; Knowlton, Todd (1995-01-01). Ten-Key Skill Builder for Computers
(https://books.google.com/books?id=eLzucpC8ZhMC). South-Western Educational Pub.
ISBN 9780538629195.
3. Stroman, James; Wilson, Kevin; Wauson, Jennifer (2011-09-01). Administrative Assistant's
and Secretary's Handbook (https://books.google.com/books?id=licD-9tqwX0C&pg=PA224).
AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. p. 224. ISBN 9780814417607.
4. numeric keypad (http://foldoc.org/Numeric+keypad) at FOLDOC
5. Microsoft (23 May 2019) [2014]. "mscorlib/system/consolekey.cs" (https://github.com/microsoft/
referencesource/blob/e0bf122d0e52a42688b92bb4be2cfd66ca3c2f07/mscorlib/system/consol
ekey.cs#L106-L121). Microsoft/ReferenceSource repository. GitHub. At line 106. Retrieved
24 June 2019.

IBM PC keyboard (Windows, US layout)

PrtScn/ Scroll Pause/
Esc F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12
SysRq Lock Break

Num
Insert Home PgUp
Lock
⁄ ∗ −

Delete End PgDn 7 8 9

+
4 5 6

↑ 1 2 3
Enter
0 .
← ↓ → Ins Del
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This page was last edited on 12 March 2020, at 14:49 (UTC).

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