Re: RPN (was Re: TI-83+)
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Re: RPN (was Re: TI-83+)
> > I grabbed the closest book to me, opened it up and
> >what did I see?
>
> Well, I saw this equation:
>
> n
> ------
> 2^(n-1)-1
>
> Notice that in the book there were no parentheses (I had to use
parentheses
> because of font limitations)
>
> On the TI, you would enter this equation as:
>
> n / ( 2 ^ ( n - 1 ) - 1 )
>
> In RPN, you would enter this equation as:
>
> n [spc] 2 [spc] n [spc] 1 - yx 1 - /
>
> Now, when I look at that original equation, I see n 2 n 1 - yx 1 - /. I
don't
> see n/(2^(n-1)-1). Some people see other the latter but not the former.
It
> doesn't mean that I'm more intelligent becase I see the former; it just
means I
> look at it differently. Do realize, however, that the TI version took 13
> keystrokes while the RPN version took only 12.
Back in the '70s when HP and TI were really competing against each other in
the programmable calculator market, an HP brochure made a point that really
seems to be true: TI's calculator language (back then called Algebraic
Operating System or AOS) lets you enter an equation as it's written. HP's
RPN lets you enter an equation as you would solve it with pencil and paper.
You can see that this is true. If you were to solve the above by hand,
which op would you do first? n-1 of course then you'd do the
exponentiation, then the subtraction, then the division last. I like both
systems. When I'm porting a BASIC program, TI's is easier. When I'm
performing calculations ad hoc, I like RPN. There's an RPN program
available for the TI as well as an algebraic program for the HP so you can
do both on either brand.
Tom Lake
ICQ #25589135
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