Calculators

There are two kinds of scientific calculators on the market:

I call them the old-style calculator and the new-style calculator.
(They might also be called stack-based and algebraic calculators respectively, because of the way they
evaluate strings of symbols by “putting them on a stack” or by simulating the way we do it in algebra.)

The old-style calculators are more efficient in certain ways, requiring fewer key-presses
if you know the fastest way to do things.
But the new-style calculators allow you to enter expressions in the same order that we do
so in ordinary math.
(The graphing calculators like the Texas Instruments TI-83 work essentially as “new-style” calculators,
but there are some differences.)

It is important that you know which kind you have. To find out, figure out how square
roots work on your machine. One of the following should work:

To find 400:
The square-root key is usual a “shifted” key, requiring the use of the “shift” key, which is
labeled with one of these names: SHIFT , 2nd , INV , 2ndF , etc.
It is usually above the x2 key, in which case you would enter SHIFT x2
old-style calculators: 400 SHIFT x2 ANS: 20
2
new-style calculators: SHIFT x 400 =
(Some of the newer models even have a 3rd function key; i.e. one key provides three different
functions.)
If you don’t know which kind of calculator you have, try both of these:
if 400 SHIFT x2 gives you 20, you have the old-style type (since 400 = 20).
If SHIFT x2 400 = gives 20, you have the new-style type.
You should know how to use both types.

Note: the “equals” key is sometimes ENTER or EXE (for “Execute”).

Many calculators have an ANS key for using the previous answer in a new
calculation. For such a machine, if you begin an operation by typing one of the operation
keys, it assumes you want to apply the operation to the previous answer, so typing + 3
produces ANS + 3 (i.e. the previous answer plus 3).
The Texas Instruments graphing calculators and a few others have a (shifted) key in the lower
right corner labeled Entry or Last Entry . This brings up the input last typed by the user, to be re-used
or modified. Invoking this function repeatedly cycles back over previous input, going back about six
entries (depending on how long the inputs were).

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Minus signs:

Most calculators have two keys labeled with a minus sign. It is essential that you
know the difference between them.
• – is the subtraction key (usually located between + and × ).
• The other key usually has one of the following labels:

(-) , +/– , or + – (i.e. change + to – and – to plus).

In these notes I will assume it is (-) . This is the “opposite” key: it changes any number
into its opposite.

Old-style calculator: the negative number –3 is entered: 3 (-) (the minus sign after the
number!). If you then hit the (-) key again, the answer will change back to +3.

New-style calculator: the negative number –3 is entered: (-) 3 .

WARNING: If you use the wrong key and type – 3 (“subtract 3”) instead of (-) 3, you will either get
an error message, or the machine will subtract 3 from the previous answer, and you may not even notice
that you have made a mistake. For example, if the last answer was 5 and you enter (-) 3, you will see –
3, but if you enter – 3, you will see 2.
After entering –3, if you then type (-) ANS , the answer will change back to +3.

Powers:
The power key is usually labeled yx (or xy). It works the same on both types of
calculators:
To find 34: 3 yx 4 = ANS: 81

When the exponent is 2, there is a special x2 key for it, so you could do either of these:
To find 32: 3 yx 2 = or just: 3 x2 . (The = key is not required in the second case.)

Roots:
To do 3 · 3:
old-style calculators: 3 × 3 SHIFT x2 = .
new-style calculators: 3 × SHIFT x2 3 = .
3
A few calculators have a key, but most of them don’t. There should be a key labeled
x y
either y or x or y1/x , probably a “shifted” key above the yx key. Note: usually the
letter y refers to the 1st number typed, and x refers to the 2nd number typed. This is the convention used
in “stack-based” machines, where numbers on the stack are x, y, z, … with x being “on the top of the
stack”.)

NotesOnCalculators.doc page 2 of 7
 y
The Texas Instruments graphing calculators (and a few earlier models, like the TI-80) have their x command
buried inside the Math menu (perhaps under Misc). They didn’t consider it to be that important, since you can
4
get the yth root by taking the 1/y power; for example to get 16 ( = 161/4), do
16 yx ( 1 ÷ 4 ) = ,
or just 16 yx .25 = .
3
You will also find and x3 in that menu.
3
_______
To find __8:
x
old-style (and some new-style) calculators: 8 SHIFT y 3 = ANS: 2
3
or just: 8
y
some new-style calculators: 3 SHIFT x 8 =

(For people who know about trig functions): To find sin 50.55° (with the angle mode set to degrees).
old-style calculators: 50.55 sin ANS: 0.772179 ≈ 0.7722
new-style calculators: sin 50.55 =

Entering scientific notation: Many calculators have a key labeled EE (“Enter

Exponent”) or EXP . This enables you to enter numbers quickly in scientific notation.
To enter 3.4 × 108, instead of 3.4 × 10 yx 8 = , you can just type 3.4 EE 8 = or
3.4 EXP 8 = . WARNING: This does not give 3.48 which would be 17857.93904896. Instead
it gives 340,000,000. If you enter 3.4 EE 10 ENTER or 3.4 × 1010 ENTER on a TI graphing
calculator, you will just see 3.4E10. Any number bigger than 999,999,999 is displayed with
the E notation. So is any number less than 0.001; if you enter .00034 you will see 3.4E–4.
YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE E SYMBOL EVEN IF YOU NEVER USE
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION. HERE IS WHY:
Say your angle mode is set to radians and you want the sine of 60π radians. You type
sin(60π) on a new-style calculator (or 60π sin on an old-style calculator) and get the answer
2E–12. The answer is actually 0! 2E–12 means 0.000000000002; i.e. the decimal point in 2. is
moved 12 places to the left). A round-off error in the calculator makes it appear as not-quite zero. Or
you want the tangent of 60.5π. You type tan(60.5π) on a new-style calculator (or 60.5π
tan on an old-style calculator) and get the answer 3.448275862E11. The answer is actually
undefined or “infinity”. 3.448275862E11 means 344,827,586,200; i.e. the decimal point in
3.448275862 is moved 11 places to the right). Again, a round-off error in the calculator makes it appear
as a very large number instead of what it really is: a division by zero.

The reciprocal key: The key labeled 1/x or x-1 (which might be a “shifted” key) gives
the reciprocal of a number. It is the same as typing 1 ÷ (the number), or typing a
number followed by: 1 ÷ ANS .

NotesOnCalculators.doc page 3 of 7
The fraction keys: Many of the machines have a “mixed fractions” key ab⁄c , usually
with a shifted “improper fraction” key d⁄c . Here is how they work on most calculators:

When you type 3 ab⁄c 4 ab⁄c 5 you will see the following displayed: 3⌟ 4⌟ 5 , which
means the mixed number 34⁄5 . If you then hit SHIFT ab⁄c (to invoke the d⁄c function),

you will see 24⌟ 5, which means the improper fraction 24⁄5. ab⁄c will then change this

back to 3⌟ 4⌟ 5.

The fraction functions also reduce the fractions: 45 ab⁄c 80 returns 9⌟ 16

( 45⁄80 = 9⁄16 ). This enable you to work with exact fractions rather than decimals (as long
as the denominators aren’t too big):
Add: 7/12 + 5/8 + 7/20.
Solution: 7 ab⁄c 12 + 5 ab⁄c 8 + 7 ab⁄c 20 =.

You will see 1⌟ 67⌟ 120, which tells us that 7/12 + 5/8 + 7/20 = 167⁄120.
Notice how this avoids all the work of building fractions up to an LCD, adding, and
reducing the result!

The machines have different ways of changing the fraction to a decimal: some of
them have a shifted function F↔D which switches back and forth between fraction and
decimal. Other machines go back and forth from fraction to decimal when you hit the
ab⁄c key repeatedly. If you have a decimal like 0.4545454545 which you suspect has a
fraction equivalent, some of the calculators will change it to the fraction 5⁄11 (which
¯). However, this only works when the fraction has a
equals the repeating decimal 0.45
denominator with three places or less.

The TI graphing calculators have a function labeled ⊳Frac , and on some of them
one labeled ⊳Dec , found in the Math menu. (On the TI-85, it’s in the second screen
under Math, Misc) These change the input to a fraction or to a decimal. But it only
makes a fraction if the denominator has four or fewer places.

NotesOnCalculators.doc page 4 of 7
Example: Add 7/12 + 5/8 + 7/20.
Solution: 7 ÷ 12 + 5 ÷ 8 + 7 ÷ 20 = You will see 1.558333333.
Then use whatever key your calculator uses to change this into a fraction (either ab⁄c or

F↔D or ⊳Frac ). You should see something like 1⌟ 87⌟ 120, which means 187⁄120.

Fixed vs. floating mode: Some calculators have a setting to automatically display
numbers rounded to a fixed number of places. It might be a MODE button, a shifted-key
fix command, or some other mode configuration. I don’t recommend that you make this
setting, but you may do it unintentionally and wonder why all your answers seem to be
wrong!

Degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS): Angles can be measured in either (decimal)
degrees (DD) or degrees (◦), minutes ('), and seconds (″) (where a minute is 1⁄60 degree,
and a second is 1⁄ minute). For example, 62◦15′30″ means 62◦ + (15⁄ )° + (30⁄
60 60 )°, 60 · 60

or 62◦ + 0.25◦ + ( ⁄120)° = 62.2583◦. Calculators have different systems for entering
1

angles in DMS form, and for converting between the two systems. Some have two
functions labeled ⊳DMS and DMS⊳ , or DD⊳DMS and DMS⊳DD . They also have
different systems for entering degrees, minutes, and seconds. Some have keys labeled ◦, ',
and " right on the keyboard.
The TI-83 takes ◦ and ' from the Angle menu, but " from the keyboard, where it doubles as a quotation-
mark key for entering text.
On the TI-85 you have to enter 62'15'30 to get 62◦15′30″. (The ' is found in the Math, Angle menu. The
◦ symbol in that menu doesn’t work here. That is only for degree/radian conversion.)
Machines also display the output differently: the newer models display 62◦15′30″. Some
of the older models display 62'15'30 or 62⃞15⃞30.
The Hewlett-Packard HP-48 displays this as 62.1530. On that machine, you can’t enter DMS directly.
But you can convert DD’s to DMS by going to the TIME menu and doing →HMS (“to hours, minutes,
seconds”), since time works the same as angles. You can also do arithmetic directly on DMS formats.

NotesOnCalculators.doc page 5 of 7
 The Microsoft Windows Calculator

All versions of Microsoft Windows have two built-in calculators, accessible via:
Start Menu, Program Files, Accessories
When you access the calculator, you’ll get either the “Standard” calculator, which has
just the basic arithmetic functions plus square root sqrt , or the “Scientific” calculator,
which has all the functions needed for trig and pre-calculus, and a few functions used in
statistics and computer science.

Both Windows calculators are the old-style type.

This calculator has some unusual features.

a) The operations divide, multiply, subtract, and add are labeled / , * , - , + .
respectively. I find the multiplication and subtraction keys annoyingly hard to read. But
just notice how they are neatly arranged in a column. The “opposite” key is labeled +/– .

b) Most of the functions have a “2nd function”, usually an “inverse function”. However
there is no label for that function on the keypad. And instead of a “Shift” key (or “2nd
Function” key) there is a “check box” labeled:

… Inv

When the Inv box is checked, the x^2 key gives the square root rather than the square,
y
and with Inv checked the x^y key gives x rather than xy. Also sin becomes the
inverse sine (sin-1 or arcsin), and log gives 10 to the power given by the last number
entered. The box remains checked only for the current calculation.

c) Notice that there is a π key at the bottom of the keypad, just labeled pi .

d) There is a key F-E for switching back and forth from decimal- to scientific- notation.
A display of 3.4e–8 means 3.4 × 10–8, or 0.000000034.
The Exp key is used for entering numbers directly in scientific notation. To enter
3.4 × 108, type 3.4 Exp 8. You will see 340000000. If you would rather see 340,000,000
(with commas), select “Digit grouping” from the View menu.

e) If you want to learn more about what a key does (or how to invoke the function from the
keyboard), click it with the right mouse button. The What’s this? message box comes
up, which you can click with the left mouse button to learn about the function.

NotesOnCalculators.doc page 6 of 7
f) You can copy and paste between the calculator and another program via the Windows
clipboard: Ctrl -c to copy; Ctrl -v to paste. (The only drawback of it is: say you want to the
decimal for 1/7. Enter 1 / 7 = and you will see 0.14285714285714285714285714285714. If you copy
that to your word processor or spreadsheet (as I did here), you’ll get a full 32 digits even though you
probably would prefer to get it rounded to four or six decimal places. There is no way to set a “fixed
point” mode in the calculator to deal with this situation. Of course, you can simply delete the unwanted
digits in your document.)

BASIC RULE OF CALCULATOR USAGE:

NEVER ROUND OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CALCULATION!

Example 1: Find the area of this triangle. 10" h

Bad Solution (rounding too soon):
Step 1: h = 102 – 8.52 ≈ 5.27↘ rounded value used 8.5"
Step 2: Area = ½bh = .5 · 8.5 · 5.27 = 22.40 in2
Good Solution (rounding to enough places):
Step 1: h = 102 – 8.52 ≈ 5.26783
Step 2: Area = ½bh = .5 · 8.5 · 5.26783 = 22.39 in2
Best Solution (no rounding at all):
Step 1: h = 102 – 8.52 (don’t evaluate it)
Step 2: Area = ½bh = .5 · 8.5 · 102 – 8.52 = 22.39 in2

Example 2: Find 120 tan A where A is (95/3)°

Bad Solution (rounding too soon):
Step 1: 95/3 = 31.67 ↙rounded value used
Step 2: 120 tan 31.67◦ = 74.03 (or even worse 120 tan 31.66◦ = 74.00)

Good Solution (rounding to enough places):

Step 1: new-style calc: 120 tan 31.66666◦ = 74.02
Step 2: old-style calc: 120 * 31.66666 tan = 74.02

Best Solution (no rounding at all):

new-style calc: 120 tan ( 95 ÷ 3 ) = 74.02
old-style calc: 95 ÷ 3 = tan

I’ll take points off any time you do fail to follow this rule.

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