Numeric keypad

This article is about the numeric keypad on computer keyboards. For other number keypads, see keypad.

Numeric keypad, integrated with keyboard

Numeric keypad, as a separate unit. For use with a shorter keyboard or laptop which omits the numberpad

Bluetooth numeric keypad, working also as calculator

A numeric keypad, number pad, numpad, or ten key, is the palm-sized, usually-17-key section of a standard computer keyboard, usually on the far right. It provides calculator-style efficiency for entering numbers.

The numpad's keys are digits 0 to 9, + (addition), - (subtraction), * (multiplication), and / (division) symbols, . (decimal point), Num Lock, and ↵ Enter keys. As smaller keyboards such as those found on laptops often lack a number pad, many companies sell separate numpads that can be connected to a device by means such as USB; some of these may include keys not found on a standard numpad, such as a spacebar or a 00 (or 000) key.

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, pressing the numpad's 0 key may produce different results than pressing the alphanumeric 0 key. In such cases, the numpad-specific key may be indicated as e.g. Numpad 0, NumPad0, 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.

The arrangement of digits on numeric keypads with the 7-8-9 keys two rows above the 1-2-3 keys is derived from calculators 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, such as 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, °, can be typed on these computers with the sequence Alt+0+1+7+6.

To maintain their compact size, most laptops do not include a numeric keypad on their keyboard (though they can sometimes be found on larger models); even some desktop keyboards designed for compactness omit a numpad. To compensate, most such keyboards include Num Lock integrated into a function key (typically F6 or F8) and then press keys like 7 to produce their numpad counterpart.

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 and mousing alternative

A 104-key PC US English QWERTY keyboard layout with the numeric keypad at the far right.

Numeric keypads are also used for playing some computer games where the player must control a character, such as roguelikes. Unlike arrow keys, the numeric keypad can allow for 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 an alternative to the WASD keys 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.

Most operating systems have a mouse keys accessibility feature where mouse navigation can be done using the numeric keypad, with the other keys adapted to be mouse buttons.

See also

• Alphonse Chapanis
• Gaming keypad
• Keypad

References

IBM PC keyboard (Windows, ANSI US layout)
Esc		F1	F2	F3	F4		F5	F6	F7	F8		F9	F10	F11	F12		PrtScn/ SysRq	Scroll Lock	Pause/ Break
<imagemap> File:KB United States-NoAltGr.svg|450px desc none # Row are 60 pixel tall in reference to the unsized original # rect left top right bottom [[link]] # Top row shift rect 0 0 60 30 Tilde rect 60 0 120 30 Exclamation mark rect 120 0 180 30 At sign rect 180 0 240 30 Number sign rect 240 0 300 30 Dollar sign rect 300 0 360 30 Percent sign rect 360 0 420 30 Caret rect 420 0 480 30 Ampersand rect 480 0 540 30 Asterisk rect 540 0 600 30 Parenthesis rect 600 0 660 30 Parenthesis rect 660 0 720 30 Underscore rect 720 0 780 30 Plus sign rect 780 0 900 30 Backspace Top row rect 0 0 60 60 backtick rect 60 0 120 60 1 (number) rect 120 0 180 60 2 (number) rect 180 0 240 60 3 (number) rect 240 0 300 60 4 (number) rect 300 0 360 60 5 (number) rect 360 0 420 60 6 (number) rect 420 0 480 60 7 (number) rect 480 0 540 60 8 (number) rect 540 0 600 60 9 (number) rect 600 0 660 60 0 rect 660 0 720 60 Hyphen-minus rect 720 0 780 60 Equals sign rect 780 0 900 60 Backspace Second row shift rect 0 61 90 90 Tab key rect 90 61 150 90 Q rect 150 61 210 90 W rect 210 61 270 90 E rect 270 61 330 90 R rect 330 61 390 90 T rect 390 61 450 90 Y rect 450 61 510 90 U rect 510 61 570 90 I rect 570 61 630 90 O rect 630 61 690 90 P rect 690 61 750 90 Curly bracket rect 750 61 810 90 Curly bracket rect 810 61 900 90 Vertical bar Second row rect 0 61 90 120 Tab key rect 90 61 150 120 q rect 150 61 210 120 w rect 210 61 270 120 e rect 270 61 330 120 r rect 330 61 390 120 t rect 390 61 450 120 y rect 450 61 510 120 u rect 510 61 570 120 i rect 570 61 630 120 o rect 630 61 690 120 p rect 690 61 750 120 Square bracket rect 750 61 810 120 Square bracket rect 810 61 900 120 Backslash Third row shift rect 0 121 105 150 Caps lock rect 105 121 165 150 A rect 165 121 225 150 S rect 225 121 285 150 D rect 285 121 345 150 F rect 345 121 405 150 G rect 405 121 465 150 H rect 465 121 525 150 J rect 525 121 585 150 K rect 585 121 645 150 L rect 645 121 705 150 Colon (punctuation) rect 705 121 765 150 Quotation mark rect 765 121 900 150 Enter key Third row rect 0 121 105 180 Caps lock rect 105 121 165 180 a rect 165 121 225 180 s rect 225 121 285 180 d rect 285 121 345 180 f rect 345 121 405 180 g rect 405 121 465 180 h rect 465 121 525 180 j rect 525 121 585 180 k rect 585 121 645 180 l rect 645 121 705 180 Semicolon rect 705 121 765 180 Apostrophe rect 765 121 900 180 Enter key Fourth row shift rect 0 181 135 210 Shift key rect 135 181 195 210 Z rect 195 181 255 210 X rect 255 181 315 210 C rect 315 181 375 210 V rect 375 181 435 210 B rect 435 181 495 210 N rect 495 181 555 210 M rect 555 181 615 210 Bracket rect 615 181 675 210 Bracket rect 675 181 735 210 Question mark rect 735 181 900 210 Shift key Fourth row rect 0 181 135 240 Shift key rect 135 181 195 240 z rect 195 181 255 240 x rect 255 181 315 240 c rect 315 181 375 240 v rect 375 181 435 240 b rect 435 181 495 240 n rect 495 181 555 240 m rect 555 181 615 240 Comma (punctuation) rect 615 181 675 240 Full stop rect 675 181 735 240 Slash (punctuation) rect 735 181 900 240 Shift key Bottom row rect 0 241 90 300 Control key rect 90 241 150 300 Windows key rect 150 241 240 300 Alt key rect 240 241 600 300 Space bar rect 600 241 690 300 Alt key rect 690 241 750 300 Windows key rect 750 241 810 300 Menu key rect 810 241 900 300 Control key </imagemap>																	Insert	Home	PgUp		Num Lock	∕	∗	−
																	Delete	End	PgDn		7	8	9	+
																					4	5	6
																		↑			1	2	3	Enter
																	←	↓	→		0    Ins		.  Del