Hello all:
I am very happy to say that, after much work from myself and from
Haden (not sure if he is still on the list or not), as well as
suggestions from those of you that sent them to me, I am ready to
release a new version of my calculator. Changes are quite
numerous, and I honestly cannot remember what was already there
in the last release and what has since been added (I just keep
modifying and backing up the same file).
Below I have pasted the contents of the help file I have written.
This should give you an idea of what to expect. If you would
like a copy of the calculator, email me and I will send you one.
Please email me with improvement suggestions, bugs, things you
would like to see changed... I am willing to customize your
version as long as the change is not too large (maybe you want
answers presented in a popup box instead of just in the answer
field, for example; that is something I can do). Below is that
help file; read, enjoy, and let me know if you are interested.
This is the help file for the calculator by Alex Hall (with help
from Haden), designed to work well with the BrailleNote family of
products.
To move by section, use your computer's "search" function to
search for two stars (**) and then use the "next occurrence"
command to go from one section to the next. Each section covers
a function.
** Basic Calculator:
This form has 8 controls: the first input box (whose value will
now be known as x), where the first number is entered; a
selection list of functions, which will be covered in a moment; a
second input box (now called y), for the second number (if
required); an "=" button to do the calculation; a field that
displays your answer; two buttons, one to move the answer to the
number 1 field and one to move it to the number 2 field; and a
clear button to reset the entire form (you can enter the letter c
in any of the three edit fields - x, y, or the answer - and click
?=" to clear the calculator, avoiding the need to go down to the
"clear" button and then all the way back up).
The functions select list has the following options. The ones
that say they support fractions will handle fractions, though
this is still being worked on. Try to avoid mixed numbers and
improper fractions for now. When a fraction is returned, it will
always be reduced to its lowest possible form, so if the actual
answer was 6/8, the answer shown by the calculator is 3/4. The
program detects a fraction; you do not need to do anything to
tell it you want to work with a fraction.
+: x+y. Adds x with y. Supports fractions.
? (minus): x?y. Subtracts y from x. Supports fractions.
* (times): x×y. Multiplies x by y. Supports fractions.
/ (divided by): x/y. Divides x into y and gives a decimal if a
remainder is found. Supports fractions.
% (mod operator): x%y. Divides x into y and returns ONLY the
remainder as a whole number.
to base: x converted to base y. Converts x into the base that is
y. If x is 2 and y is 2, then the answer is 10 (2 in binary).
in base: x, in base y, converted to base 10 (decimal). Use this
if you have a number in a base other than 10 that you want to
convert back to base 10. If x=12 and y=16 (so the number is 12
in base 16) then the answer will be 18.
Greatest Common Factor: gcf(x,y). Gets the largest number that
divides evenly into both x and y.
Factor (first number only): factor x. Returnss all the factors
of x, not including 1 and x itself. It also tells you how many
factors were found, and simply states that x is prime if no
factors, other than 1 and x itself, were found.
Factorial (first number only): x factorial. Gives the answer to
x×(x?1), repeated until x=1. If x is 4, the answer is 24
(4×3×2×1).
Summation (first number only): x summation. This does the same
thing as factorial, except it adds instead of multiplies. Using
the previous example: 4+3+2+1=10.
to the power of: x^y. Raises x to the y power. If x is 2 and y
is 8, the answer is 256 (2^8).
is what percent of: x is what percent of y. Calculates what
percent of y is x. If x=5 and y=10, this would return 50.
Percent of second number: what is x percent of y. If x=15 and
y=100, then the answer is 15.
sqrt of first number: sqrt(x). Returns the square root of x. If
x is negative, a 0 is returned.
Average: here, x must be a list of numbers to be averaged. Each
number must be separated by a comma (spaces are optional) If
x=1,2,3 then the answer is 2. This could also be written with
spaces after the commas: 1, 2, 3. It is important that the final
number in the list not have ANYTHING after it.
Fraction to Decimal: if x is a fraction, convert it to a decimal.
If x=1/2, the answer is 0.5.
** Radian/Degree Converter
This section has two input boxes: one for degrees, and one for
radians. Enter the value you have, leave the box of the value
you want blank. If you have radians and want degrees, enter
radians only. If you have degrees to convert to radians, only
enter those into their proper box and leave the radians box
blank.
** Random Number Generator
This simply generates random numbers in the range you set (using
the "minimum" and "maximum" boxes). It gives you as many numbers
as the amount you type into the "amount of numbers to generate"
box.
The "stats" button gives you the median and sum of all generated
numbers.
The "roll a die" button generates a single number between 1 and
6. For your convenience, this number is shown in a popup box so
you know immediately what you "rolled" without having to go up to
the "generated" box, read it, then go back down to roll again.
** Quadratic Formula Solver
This solves the standard quadratic formula, returning an answer
for the "plus" and one for the "minus". You need only give it
the values for: a, b, and c. If your equation is 5x
(superscript) 2+6x?7, then a=5, b=6, and c=-7. Numbers that will
take the square root of a negative are supported; a ?25 will
result in 5I, where I stands for an imaginary number.
** Show Derivatives
This section generates an equation for you. There is a box for
f, g, f prime, and g prime, then a selection list; you can choose
between the Quotient Rule to use and the Product Rule. I freely
admit that I have very little understanding of this; I wrote this
part to help me in calculus, so it may not be what you need.
** Slopes
This section takes coordinates as 1,2 and gives you the slope of
the line passing through those points, as well as that line's
y-intercept.
Other changes include more text in each section to better explain
what to do, each section having its own heading (at level one) to
make moving through the sections easier, and a list of links at
the top of the page, each of which links to a section The basic
calculator, which I figure will be used most, is still first, so
if you move to the first input control then you are in the basic
calculator already.
** Settings
NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
Have a great day,
Alex
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