Why won't calculators turn on when you hit any button?

When I hit "9" I want the calculator to turn on and display "9" on the display, so that I can skip one extra step of turning it on by using "on" button. http://todayilearned.co.uk/2011/12/01/why-wont-calculators-turn-on-when-you-h...

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• calculator
• on
• off
• casio

[buzzhunt]

@xVioloncello In your case, you need a two-step turn on :)

[xVioloncello]

@buzzhunt For me, my calculator(s) is(are) almost ALWAYS in my bag (I'm a student.) It actually ran out of battery in the middle of a math test because I couldn't be bothered to put the cap on it before putting it in my bag all the time. Next time I turned it on, there were random numbers filling the screen that I didn't input. So, yeah. =/

Besides, from reading your replies to invisiman, your suggestion would be the same as pressing the on button anyway.

[InvisiMan2006]

@buzzhunt You could be right about that. I just had a look at my kids "el-cheapo" calculator and it does reset the values when the unit it turned back on.

[buzzhunt]

@InvisiMan2006 I think you have been using somewhat advanced calculators which are relatively rare compared to standard calculators, which are not able to resume on the last operation. Mass-production calculators would reset to "0" once they turn off and won't store operations when off.

[InvisiMan2006]

@buzzhunt All the calculators that I've ever used will "resume" back to the calculation or number that you had on the screen before it turned off. Calculators either have a memory for this (so they can acutally be turned completely off) or they simply go on standby, like an ipad or cell phone (which resumes what you are doing when the screen is turned back on).

[buzzhunt]

@InvisiMan2006

>>...if you have a calculation already on the calculator when the screen is off...

How can you have a calculation on the calculator when the screen is off? This implies the calculator is off too, no?

[buzzhunt]

@xVioloncello The calculator should be designed to turn off after 10-30 seconds of inactivity. This will reduce battery usage with accidental turn-ons. If the bumps are repetitive, they will typically last for no longer than ah hour - an average journey from point A to point B - this wouldn't hurt the battery too much, would it?

Considering that most of the time calculators sit on the desk rather than in the bag (0.1% of their lifetime), I would not consider this as a show stopper.

[xVioloncello]

@buzzhunt My graphing calculator isn't. I wouldn't want that running out of battery when I'm not expecting it. Also, what if you're keeping it in a bag and it bumps against other stuff? There's no light in there.

[InvisiMan2006]

@buzzhunt The question was: Why can't calculators turn on using other buttons, and my answer was that if you have a calculation already on the calculator when the screen is off, pressing any button other than "on" will mess up the calculation or numbers you have on the display.

[buzzhunt]

@InvisiMan2006 sorry, I don't get what you mean?