HP 50g simple question

[the...@brsusa.com]

I have a new HP 50g calculator to replace my old HP 48sx. I have set
the calculator to provide results as standard. This all works great
except for when I do a calculation like 1 / 12. The result I want
should be 0.0833333333 but instead I get scientific notation like
8.33333333333E-2. I prefer it not be like this. Like I stated above,
I do not have my setting set for scientific notation. Any
suggestions?????

[Damir]

[MODE] Number Format.....Fix 11

Damir

[sc_u...@hotmail.com]

The 50g uses scientific notation to display more significant digits in
less space. For example, if the result was 1/130000, instead of
displaying .000007692308, it would show 7.692307692308E-6. This
becomes especially important for accuracy in chain calculations.

Of course, using 11 FIX would change the display format to what you
would like, while still keeping the internal representation at full
precision.

S.C.

[sc_u...@hotmail.com]

Whoops, an extra sig fig there. Should be 7.69230769231E-6. But I'm
sure you get the idea anyway. :)

S.C.

[Virgil]

In article <1192127732.4...@v3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
sc_u...@hotmail.com wrote:

Or, if you don't need the internal precision, do 11 RND.

[the...@brsusa.com]

On Oct 11, 2:16 pm, Virgil <vir...@comcast.net> wrote:
> In article <1192127732.496525.111...@v3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,

> Or, if you don't need the internal precision, do 11 RND.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for the help folks.....
Trey

[John H Meyers]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:02:44 -0500:

> I have a new HP 50g calculator to replace my old HP 48sx. I have set
> the calculator to provide results as standard. This all works great

> except for when I do a calculation like 1/12. The result I want

> should be 0.0833333333 but instead I get scientific notation like
> 8.33333333333E-2. I prefer it not be like this. Like I stated above,
> I do not have my setting set for scientific notation.

Isn't it exactly the same on your HP48SX?

AFAIAA, STD number display mode, on all HP48/49/50,
shows all significant digits, all the time;
only when there isn't room to do this in "fixed" format
(because of extra leading/trailing zeros,
requiring the display of more than 12 significant digits)
does it use "scientific" notation.

For example:

.083333333333 displays exactly this way in STD format

.0833333333333 needs 13 digits following the decimal point,
so it changes to 8.33333333333E-2

Similarly:

8E-12 displays as .000000000008
while 8E-13 displays as 8E-13

8E11 displays as 800000000000
while 8E12 displays as 8E12

To display small values with leading zeros in "fixed" format,
you have the choice of either rounding to 11 places (11 RND)
or using 11 FIX; rounding potentially changes the value,
if necessary, to be displayable as "fixed" by the STD format;
11 FIX changes the display format, not the value, but then
other numbers may not be as pleasingly displayed -- for example,
1/2 will then appear as 0.50000000000 rather than as .5
and algebraic expressions like '1.2+3.4/5.6^7.8'
become rather bloated-looking in FIX format,
because it applies to every individual number in the expression.

FIX format also displays "thousands separators" when needed,
but STD format does not. There is no single display format
likely to satisfy every mood and need, but one can customize the calculator,
either via an automatic "vectored enter" program or a manually invoked
program, to display either just level-1 or the entire stack,
in any choice of formats, to suit different contents and value ranges,
according to personal taste.

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