The Joys of RPN

Hewlitt Packard introduced their HP 35 in 1972. It was the world's first scientific calculator. It could be considered a little geeky in that it forced the user to learn a data entry system known as Reverse Polish Notation (RPN), which was closer to the way the internal computer chip handled the process. What thousands of scientists and engineers discovered, however, was that this data entry system was closer to the way their brains processed the problems too. RPN is addictive. If any serious science or math student asks my recommendation on a calculator, RPN is it. The HP 35s was issued on the 35th anniversary of the original HP 35.

Please HP...keep RPN alive.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• HP
• calculators
• 35
• 35s
• education
• mathematics
• computation
• tutorial

[codycbradio1234]

Put on the captions and it will say "And there's a lot of cancer calculators out there." LMFAO!!!

[codycbradio1234]

The best HP Graphing Calculator that I've used, (the only HP Graphing Calculator that I've used) is the HP-50g. You can use both algebraic in a textbook view, and you can also calculate in rpn.

[Vermiliontea]

@mRUSSIA (continued) ...Well, I am then of course not only talking about RPN only, but RPN in the RPL environment (only available in HP 28, 48, 49, 50 -models).

[Vermiliontea]

@mRUSSIA No. There are many advantages. Being able to edit the expression only makes the algebraic calculator moderately usable for school. You can do fantastic things very simply with RPN. Everything you can imagine, even involving solving many non-linear systems, any finite operations on some number of complex arguments, finite objects, but of any complexity, can be handled the same way: throw them on the stack and press the function. Everything forms a consistent hiearchical system.

[mRUSSIA]

RPN use to be a major advantage over algebraic because you don't have to worry about misplaced parenthesis and it cuts down on the complexity of equations. However, with the new textbook display algebraic calculators, and the ability to enter the equation exactly how it appears in the textbook or on paper, RPN's advantage nowadays is nullified.

[Vermiliontea]

RPN is the way to go. Infix (algebraic notation) is an awful nightmare, by comparison. It's a great tragedy that teachers have pushed algebraic, on a totally false belief that it makes math easier to learn since it corresponds to written mathematical expressions. Generation after generation of RPN-ignorants spread the algebraic disease. So tragic.

[coleco1982]

Wonderful! I think you did a great job explaining not only what RPN is, but also how it is used, how it is more efficient than algebraic, and how it is truly an extension of your brain. As a die hard HP fan and daily HP-35 (not 35s, I mean the one from 1972!) user, I can't tell you how many times I've laughed when I've heard "Crap, I forgot a parenthesis!" or "Where's the equals sign?" I only wish that more engineers at the university which I attend would start using them.

[febed01]

Ha ha, silly me, I got it wrong because I misread the 3*17 as 3.17 ^^

Tried with an HP41CV

[IMakeOrWatchVideos]

(7^3+3sqr(2*3^5+13*6^4))/sqr(2­*5(7+3*17)) =~30.6427834

But I get your point.

[wotanson1]

Once you understand RPN, which takes minutes to grasp, it seems so much easier and elegant than algebraic expression. I once took a refresher algebra course in college that used the TI-83 graphing calculator. One day after class, my instructor loaned me a well worn HP 41CV and a sheaf of mimeographed papers headed "RPN made easy." I've been hook since. Thanks Mr. Kim!