Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 09:02:18 GMT
From: "neil barnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Killer scientific calculator emulator
>From: David Chien <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Libretto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: Libretto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: Killer scientific calculator emulator
>Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 15:35:04 -0700
>
>Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 15:29:59 -0700 (PDT)
>From: David Chien <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: Killer scientific calculator emulator
>
> > I haven't used a TI calculator since I discovered their basic scientific
> > programmable unit about fifteen years ago had a nasty habit of giving
>the
> > wrong answers to trig functions...little obvious ones like arcsin sqrt
> > 2...and I discovered this the day before serious maths exams.
>
> Ouch! Hope the latest ones don't have this.. then again, I'll probably
>never
>ever need to use the SIN/COS functions in my day-to-day programming.
>
> then again, this may be good for those trying to 'ace' the latest 'SAT'
>tests
>here in the US where they now allow calculators on the math exams for
>college
>entrance - wonder if the next generation will simply be button-heads?
>(duh,
>how does it really work? Who cares? Just push the button and the right
>answer
>should appear....)
A previous (foundation) exam had allowed calculators but emphasised the
importance of close approximation - thus in one section the answer to 9.52 *
1083.2 was ~10,000 and *not* 10,312.064...
>
> > So now I'm a confirmed HP head...with an 11C on my desk that is still on
>the
> > original batteries from 1985 or so, and the added advantage that no-one
> > *ever* borrows it more than once, after they discover there is no '='
>key!
>
> Ouch! One thing I never could get used to is a RPN calculator. One
>reason I
>love my pocket Sharp scientific so much - takes regular algebraic entry w/o
>a
>fuss. Then again, mine got borrowed many times in college....
>
With the added advantage that Forth as a programming language was never a
problem...but at the moment I'm writing an assembler and trying to get my
head round converting:
result equ (14*height+7)/speed
to
result equ 14 height * 7 + speed /
Neil
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