calculator

Step 1: Initialising your calculator

To set the calculator to your default course settings, switch it on and then enter two key sequences:

(CLR) (Setup) (Yes)

(SETUP) (Norm)

Notice that in the first key sequence, "CLR" (which is short for "clear') is the second function in the key and 'Setup' the name of the menu option for key. keys. "Yes" is the title of the on-screen menu option corresponding to key keys. This key sequence removes any previously set-up settings in the calculator.

When you press the 2nd key, "SETUP" is the title of the second purpose of the key and "Norm" (short for 'normal') is the menu option for the keyboard. Pressing the key will enable the 'Normal 2' mode, which will be explained in more specific detail in the section 5.

Notice the distinction between 'SETUP', which is the additional function used by the key and the menu choice 'Setup'.

Your calculator is now working in Math mode and the word Math will appear on the right-hand side of the upper part of your calculator display, as illustrated in Figure 4 below. It is the best mode of operation for your calculator during this course because it permits mathematics to be entered and displayed in a like way as you would write it down on paper.Figure 4 'Math' mode

1.1 Basic calculations

Basic calculationsare input into the calculator in the exact way as they were written on paper, as illustrated in the following activity. The calculator will display the calculation you typed in. When you press , the answer is displayed at the bottom right-hand corner of the display.

Activity 2 Sums, Differences, products, and Quotients

Use your calculator to calculate the answers to the following calculations.

Reveal answer

You might have noticed in the first part (4) of the previous activity, this calculation was too long to fit onto the calculator display. In these situations the symbols ' or ' ' are displayed to the left and right sides of the display to indicate that there is more information available in this direction. This information can be viewed by scrolling left or right using keys keys. keys located at the left and right sides of the large control button for cursors (labelled with the word 'REPLAY') located under the calculator screen.

If you input a long calculation into your calculator in the future, you could observe the cursor (which is usually displayed by the letters ' ') change to ' '. This means that you're allowed to write 10 additional characters. If you run into this then you must break the calculation into smaller parts.

The cursor appears as a flashing symbol that indicates where the next entry in the calculator will show up.

1.2 Fractions or decimals?

Then, in Activity 1 you set up your calculator to work in Math mode. In this mode, if the outcome of a calculation is not a complete number, it is shown as a fraction for example , wherever possible.

To obtain the answer in decimal form, you need hold instead using the key. You can toggle between the decimal and fractional outputs with this button.

Be sure to ensure that it is a good idea to ensure that your calculator is in Math mode if the word Math is displayed at the center of the calculator display. If your calculator isn't set to Math mode, follow the steps of Activity 1.

Activity 3 Fractions and Decimals

Utilize your calculator to calculate the answer in both decimal and fractional forms.Reveal the solution

1.3 Powers

There are various keypads on the calculator that permit users to do calculations that require power. For smaller powers, such as cubes and squares, there are specific buttons in addition to , which are located in the function key space of the keypad. These are operated in the same way as how you write mathematics in the past, for example, to enter, you need to hit . The display also shows mathematics in the same way you would write it out on paper.

To calculate higher powers such as , you need to utilize the more general Power key . It is used again naturally. For entering , you use the key sequence . After pressing the key, a small box is visible within the calculator display that displays the blinking cursor (' ') that allows one to put the power in the right spot. When you wish to take the cursor out of this box and to return to the main display line when the power is entered using the right arrow key at the right-hand left-hand side of the cursor's control button.Figure 5 The general power key's purpose

Others models of calculator may include a button instead of and might not include particular keys keys. keys.

Activity 4 Calculating power

Calculate each of the following with your calculator.

Get the answer

1.4 Making corrections

If you've made a mistake when entering a key sequence in the calculator If you make a mistake, you can use editing tools to fix your error.

And the keys on the large cursor control button. The buttons on the cursor control enable you to move the cursor (shown in the display by the symbol ' ') within the calculation within the calculator screen. Characters can then be added at the position of the cursor using the buttons and any items left of it can be erased using keys. key. This can happen either ahead of it or once the key has been press. For a re-evaluation of an edited calculation just press the key at any point.

In some circumstances in certain situations, it might be better to leave what you've typed and begin with the 'all clear' option!

If a grave error is made when entering the calculation in the calculator that could stop calculation of the result at any time, because the calculation could not be mathematically logical. If this happens, a 'Syntax Error' will be shown as illustrated in Figure 6. The Syntax Error screen gives two options to you:

• Press to abandon the calculation and remove the screen
• Click the button to either or to return to the erroneous calculation by dragging the cursor placed at the point of error, and in readiness for a correction be made

Figure 6 Syntax Error

Other kinds of calculator error that you could come across include:

• 'Math Error', when the calculation you have entered seems mathematically correct, but the result cannot be calculated, such as trying subtracting zero, or when the results are too large for the calculator to handle.
• 'Stack Error"," which means that you're calculation is too complex for one go . In such situations, try breaking the calculation into several simple ones.

Section 4 outlines how you can go about doing this.

In these cases, the calculator will show an identical screen to the one in the Syntax Error, allowing you to either abandon or correct your calculation.