Posted on 10/05/2022 5:20:34 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Online calculators, too. Finding internal rate of return, present value or an amortization table can be done with free calculators on banking sites. I’ve tried with Excel but don’t always get the formula correct. Obviously, it’s not something I do every day.
As well, the superior processing power of the iPhones makes them run even faster.
Another hidden trick, when in the iPhone calculator app, rotate the phone into landscape orientation and many of the advanced functions of the HP calculators will appear.
Older school.
HP-41C and HP-41CV.
One thing I really loved - at the time, Engineering Economy had a BUNCH of interest rate tables in the back of the book that you were expected to use for just about everything, all the homework problem. I programmed up all the standard functions and nailed everything to 6-8 significant digits, never looked at the tables. Never did have anyone try to call me on sig digits, which would have been a loser for the TA.
And then there were problems where they expected you to iterate for an interest rate. Except I could write the problem into a formula, then use a Solve function to do the iteration, and again, give an answer to 6-8 significant digits. Loved that stuff.
RPN makes my head hurt...
I bought both the 12C and 11C when they came out. The 11C for my technical engineering work and the 12C for my MBA program. Once you master Reverse Polish Notation, you’ll never go back to “conventional” calculators. The stack on the 11C and 12C makes so much sense.
These days, I fire up Excel no matter how small the task. There’s nothing like being able to save your work and I often find I look up earlier calculations I’ve saved.
In the oil fields, I and most of us just simple Casio calculators and the various formulas and equations needed hand written in our Cementer’s Bible.
Up until high school graduation, calculators should not be allowed to be used, imo.
Nothing beats the using a pen and paper.
I’d rather have 100 questions solidly answered through steps than 500 from a calculator.
The RPN is a sort of poison pill...it keeps away the riff raff.
Took two models of calculators with different capabilities to an exam. Plus two backups, in case the batteries died. Should have spent more time studying.
The HP-12c isn’t made as well as it used to be. Not looking forward to the day my old one is unusable.
>>The HP 12c’s reverse Polish notation takes some time to figure out, but you can’t go back once mastered.
RPN >> AOS
Just to post something that will be controversial for some, but it is TRUE!
My phone calculator is a Retro (HP) 15C app.
I use my HP 11C all the time, but it’s an app on my iPhone. It’s my go-to app for any and all quick calcs. It’s fidelity to the original physical 11C is amazing. It’s as gorgeous on the screen as it is in the flesh. The only thing missing is the nice, crisp tactile feel of those HP buttons.
I had a physics prof from England that would walk us through electromagnetics problems and when he'd get to the end it was a mess of an expression and he'd say " ... which resolves to .... approximately 37.57" and we'd follow along with out calculators and the answer would 37.55.
We asked him how this was possible. he said 'I convert it all to logarithms in my head and then it's just simple addition. Haven't you memorized all the basic logs for all the major constants like Pi, e, u0, boltzmans, etc and the digits 1-10?"
THAT guy was a rock star to the math nerds.
That’s why thieves won’t steal cars with stick shifts, too.
You can do basic calcs in a browser search bar. Just type in your formula and it provides the answer!
Had one as a kid.
Loved messing with it. Used it to check my homework
So do I. I find RPN makes more sense.
Re: landscape the iPhone calculator view. When I saw that the first time, it blew my mind. For me, the "1/X" button helps bigly and with yx I can do CAGR calculations on the fly.
I don’t go no where without my Lewiss & Briggs. If it was good enough to get us to the moon it’s good enough to calculate Bidenflation.
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