![]() ![]() Picture the things you do most often in Excel. Please do the same reflection for yourself. I have used trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions quite often, and –maybe surprisingly- I have used quite often the Time Value of Money equations, as well as Net Present Value and IRR formulae. I prefer the HP 50g, HP 12c and HP 17bII over the others.Īs an engineer with 20 years’ experience, I have never used complex numbers or hyperbolic functions in my job. The current HP screens are excellent, but there have been occasions in the past where this was not the case (HP 48GX, for example). The slanted, hinged key with 2 functions on it is an HP trademark, but it is not used across the whole line. HP calculators have been excellent in this regard, with a few exceptions. Key-pressed feedback is one element, but not the only one. Keyboard feel: odd as it may seem, some calculators give real pleasure when keying numbers, while others are a real pain. The Solver facility can do many things that a normal program can't. ![]() Other calculators are not programmable – like the 10b and 20b and finally other calculators use the Solver which helps to automate many frequent tasks. Many HP calculators use keystroke programming – which in its simplest form is akin of recording the steps you usually do when solving a problem. This feature puts off many people, and it should not. The menu-driven 20b and 30b take more keystrokes to access a given function than the 1-function-per-key 12c, but also more than the menu-driven 17bII (which for me is the top calculator in ease of use) What are the key features for a calculator?įunctions – the more functions a calculator has, the more difficult will be to access them (and the more memory -your own memory!- you need to use it). And then, you'd better have a powerful, reliable, quality calculator. In examinations, in business meetings, during a presentation, the only available solution is a calculator. We acknowledge that Excel is better than a calculator for most things (though not all), but there are many occasions where you cannot have Excel, or it takes a long time to start up (computer included), or it is overkill. ![]()
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