diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index 0d9711b866..c95555c257 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -1039,7 +1039,6 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   %D%/packages/patches/bash-linux-pgrp-pipe.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/bastet-change-source-of-unordered_set.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/bazaar-CVE-2017-14176.patch		\
-  %D%/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/bdb-5.3-atomics-on-gcc-9.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/biboumi-cmake-ignore-git.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/brightnessctl-elogind-support.patch	\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/algebra.scm b/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
index 41401ff2a7..c1ba022d41 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
@@ -714,19 +714,18 @@ (define-public gmp-ecm
 (define-public bc
   (package
     (name "bc")
-    (version "1.07.1")
+    (version "1.08.2")
     (source (origin
              (method url-fetch)
              (uri (string-append "mirror://gnu/bc/bc-" version ".tar.gz"))
              (sha256
               (base32
-               "0amh9ik44jfg66csyvf4zz1l878c4755kjndq9j0270akflgrbb2"))
-             (patches (search-patches "bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch"))))
+               "11jzg23ks39k58bnb5y55wxqqz6h534ys5900hz6axcp8bn0yixf"))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (native-inputs
      (list automake autoconf ed flex readline texinfo))
     (inputs
-     (list readline))
+     (list readline ncurses))
     (arguments
      '(#:configure-flags
        (list "--with-readline")
@@ -742,7 +741,7 @@ (define-public bc
 an interactive environment for evaluating mathematical statements.  Its
 syntax is similar to that of C, so basic usage is familiar.  It also includes
 \"dc\", a reverse-polish calculator.")
-    (license license:gpl2+)))
+    (license license:gpl3+)))
 
 ;; The original kiss-fft does not have a complete build system and does not
 ;; build any shared libraries.  This is a fork used by Extempore.
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 04f2c92abf..0000000000
--- a/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,189 +0,0 @@
-Patch adapted from Nix.
-Upstream-status: Submitted to bug-bc@gnu.org.
-
-diff --git a/bc/Makefile.am b/bc/Makefile.am
-index d9d412e..13f2b1e 100644
---- a/bc/Makefile.am
-+++ b/bc/Makefile.am
-@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = bc.h bcdefs.h const.h fix-libmath_h global.h libmath.b proto.h \
-              sbc.y
- noinst_HEADERS = libmath.h
- 
--DISTCLEANFILES = sbc sbc.c sbc.h libmath.h
-+DISTCLEANFILES = fbc sbc sbc.c sbc.h libmath.h
- 
- MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in bc.c bc.h scan.c \
- 	bc.y bcdefs.h const.h execute.c fix-libmath_h \
-@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in bc.c bc.h scan.c \
- 
- AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(srcdir) -I$(srcdir)/../h
- LIBBC = ../lib/libbc.a
-+LIBBC_HOST = ../lib/libbc_host.a
- LIBL = @LEXLIB@
- LDADD = $(LIBBC) $(LIBL) @READLINELIB@
- 
-@@ -29,15 +30,22 @@ $(PROGRAMS): libmath.h $(LIBBC)
- scan.o: bc.h
- global.o: libmath.h
- 
--fbcOBJ = main.o bc.o scan.o execute.o load.o storage.o util.o warranty.o
-+%.o_host: CC := $(CC_FOR_BUILD)
-+%.o_host: %.c
-+	$(COMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
- 
--libmath.h: libmath.b $(fbcOBJ) $(LIBBC)
--	echo '{0}' > libmath.h
--	$(MAKE) global.o
--	$(LINK) -o fbc $(fbcOBJ) global.o $(LIBBC) $(LIBL) $(READLINELIB) $(LIBS)
--	./fbc -c $(srcdir)/libmath.b </dev/null >libmath.h
-+fbcOBJ = $(addsuffix _host,\
-+	   main.o bc.o scan.o execute.o load.o storage.o util.o warranty.o)
-+
-+global_host.c: global.c
-+	sed 's/#include "libmath.h"/{0}/' $< > $@
-+
-+fbc: $(fbcOBJ) global_host.o_host $(LIBBC_HOST) $(LIBS)
-+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) $(LIBL) $(READLINELIB) -o $@ $^
-+
-+libmath.h: libmath.b fbc $(LIBBC_HOST)
-+	./fbc -c $(srcdir)/libmath.b < /dev/null > libmath.h
- 	$(srcdir)/fix-libmath_h
--	rm -f ./fbc ./global.o
- 
- sbcOBJ = main.o sbc.o scan.o execute.o global.o load.o storage.o util.o \
-          warranty.o
-diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
-index fc74573..5cabb73 100644
---- a/configure.ac
-+++ b/configure.ac
-@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ m4_define([dc_version], 1.4.1)
- 
- AC_INIT([bc],[bc_version])
- AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(doc/bc.1)
-+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
- AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([dist-bzip2])
- AC_CONFIG_HEADERS(config.h)
- 
-@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ AC_DEFINE([DC_COPYRIGHT],
- 	  [Define the dc copyright line.])
- 
- AC_PROG_CC
-+AX_CC_FOR_BUILD
- AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS
- 
- AM_PROG_LEX
-diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
-index ec4bf59..24c9f42 100644
---- a/lib/Makefile.am
-+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
-@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
- ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
--noinst_LIBRARIES = libbc.a
-+noinst_LIBRARIES = libbc.a libbc_host.a
- 
- AM_CPPFLAGS = -I. -I.. -I$(srcdir)/../h
- 
-@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ libbc_a_SOURCES = getopt.c getopt1.c vfprintf.c number.c
- 
- DEFS = @DEFS@ $(DEFSADD)
- 
--AM_CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
--
- MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in number.c
- CLEANFILES = testmul specialnumber muldigits.h
- 
-@@ -24,3 +22,11 @@ testmul: testmul.o number.o
- 
- specialnumber: newnumber.o
- 	cp newnumber.o number.o
-+
-+%.o_host: CC := $(CC_FOR_BUILD)
-+%.o_host : %.c
-+	$(COMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
-+
-+libbc_host.a : $(addsuffix _host,$(libbc_a_OBJECTS))
-+	ar cru $@ $+
-+	ranlib $@
-diff --git a/m4/cc_for_build.m4 b/m4/cc_for_build.m4
-new file mode 100644
-index 0000000..c62ffad
---- /dev/null
-+++ b/m4/cc_for_build.m4
-@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
-+# ===========================================================================
-+#     https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_cc_for_build.html
-+# ===========================================================================
-+#
-+# SYNOPSIS
-+#
-+#   AX_CC_FOR_BUILD
-+#
-+# DESCRIPTION
-+#
-+#   Find a build-time compiler. Sets CC_FOR_BUILD and EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD.
-+#
-+# LICENSE
-+#
-+#   Copyright (c) 2010 Reuben Thomas <rrt@sc3d.org>
-+#   Copyright (c) 1999 Richard Henderson <rth@redhat.com>
-+#
-+#   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
-+#   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
-+#   Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
-+#   option) any later version.
-+#
-+#   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
-+#   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-+#   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
-+#   Public License for more details.
-+#
-+#   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
-+#   with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-+#
-+#   As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner
-+#   gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure
-+#   scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You
-+#   need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using
-+#   or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the
-+#   Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern
-+#   all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
-+#
-+#   This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf
-+#   Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a
-+#   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
-+#   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
-+
-+#serial 3
-+
-+dnl Get a default for CC_FOR_BUILD to put into Makefile.
-+AC_DEFUN([AX_CC_FOR_BUILD],
-+[# Put a plausible default for CC_FOR_BUILD in Makefile.
-+if test -z "$CC_FOR_BUILD"; then
-+  if test "x$cross_compiling" = "xno"; then
-+    CC_FOR_BUILD='$(CC)'
-+  else
-+    CC_FOR_BUILD=gcc
-+  fi
-+fi
-+AC_SUBST(CC_FOR_BUILD)
-+# Also set EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD.
-+if test "x$cross_compiling" = "xno"; then
-+  EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD='$(EXEEXT)'
-+else
-+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for build system executable suffix], bfd_cv_build_exeext,
-+    [rm -f conftest*
-+     echo 'int main () { return 0; }' > conftest.c
-+     bfd_cv_build_exeext=
-+     ${CC_FOR_BUILD} -o conftest conftest.c 1>&5 2>&5
-+     for file in conftest.*; do
-+       case $file in
-+       *.c | *.o | *.obj | *.ilk | *.pdb) ;;
-+       *) bfd_cv_build_exeext=`echo $file | sed -e s/conftest//` ;;
-+       esac
-+     done
-+     rm -f conftest*
-+     test x"${bfd_cv_build_exeext}" = x && bfd_cv_build_exeext=no])
-+  EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD=""
-+  test x"${bfd_cv_build_exeext}" != xno && EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD=${bfd_cv_build_exeext}
-+fi
-+AC_SUBST(EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD)])dnl
