50g

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "Rob" <secretneko@...> wrote:

>
> Hey TW thanks for the reply.
>
> All of the solutions so far - both yours and mine take more time and

effort than I'm willing to exert. I want something that can save me
from having to count zeros to write out my

> answers on my chemistry exams. :P These solutions would take

longer than counting the

> places.
>
> I'm thinking that maybe I'm approaching this from the wrong angle.

Even when the Hp is in

> STD mode the larger numbers show up with SCI notation. Is there a

setting that tells it to

> always show SCI in STD mode at x number of places past the decimal?
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> -Rob-
>

I like to do all my calculations in STD notation, then convert to SCI
or ENG after I have a final answer. The easiest way I've found to
quickly switch back and forth is to define a couple functions and
store them in the directory I'm working in (ie CHEM where I'd do all
my chemistry homework and tests).

Starting with the switch back to STD notation, I type << STD >> onto
the first level of the stack, then type std, then hit STO. That saves
it as a function mapped to one of the 6 top row buttons.

I usually use the same number of significant figures, so I have a
function with that number hard-coded. To switch to SCI with 3 sig
figs, I type << 3 SCI >>, hit enter, type a name like sci3 and hit STO.

Now I've got 2 buttons ("sci3" and "std") to quickly toggle back and
forth without having to go through the MODE menu or type the commands
every time.

If you want to be able to choose the number of sig figs when you
switch to SCI notation, you'd type << SCI >>, hit enter, type sci, and
hit STO. Then you type the number of sig figs and press your new
"sci" button.

The disadvantage to this method is that it only works in the current
working directory. I'm guessing it's possible to make it a more
"portable" solution by using the CUSTOM menu, but I haven't played
with that yet.

--Michael