Search Tricks
by Tony Vincent
http://tonyvincent.net
Internet Search
Google search is not case sensitive.
Google excludes common words like "I" and "the".
Placing text in quotes searches for that exact phrase.
" "
Example:
Searching for "how to write a bibliography" gives you search results that contain that exact phrase.
Placing a - in front of a term excludes that word.
-
Example:
None of your results will have the word computer in them if you search for apple -computer.
Placing text a ~ in front of a word searches for that word and all its synonyms.
~
Example:
Searching for cat ~nutrition gives your results that contain cat along with nutrition, food, protein, health, etc.
Inluding related: and the URL searches for results that are somehow related to that URL.
related:
Example:
Searching for related:google.com gives you results that have to do with searching the Web.
Putting OR (must be capitalized) includes either of the words.
OR
Example:
Searching for ipod OR mp3 player gives your results that contain either ipod or mp3 player.
Putting ... between numbers searches for numbers in that range.
...
Example:
Searching for economy 1928...1932 gives you results that contain economy and any number between 1928 and 1932.
Search within a web domain by including site: and the URL.
site:
Example:
Searching for battery site:learninginhand.com searches the Learning in Hand site for battery.
Search for sites that link to another by including link: and URL.
link:
Example:
Searching for link:azk12.org gives you results that contain links to azk12.org.
Information Search
Math Search
Get definitions of a word from multiple sources.
define:
Find out the current weather conditions and forecast for a city.
weather:
Quickly call up a map of a location.
map
Get the current time for any location.
time
Get current exchange rates for money.
$$$
Get information about a URL, including a short description, links to its cache, similar pages, and sites that link to that URL.
info:
Infomercial
Input a math expression for Google to solve.
arithmetic
ADDITION:
Entering 2+5 returns 7

SUBTRACTION:
Entering 2009-25 returns 1984

MULTIPLICATION:
Entering 365*5 returns 1825

DIVISION:
Entering 100/5 returns 20

EXPONENTS:
Entering 4^2 returns 16 

REMAINDERS:
Entering 17%5 returns 2 (the remainder after division)
Use Google to convert expressions with different units.
conversion
http://www.googleguide.com/calculator.html
Learn lots more about using Google as a calculator: