Table 1-1 Mode Menu Settings

Setting (top line)

Description

 

 

Actual or Cal.360

Calendar options for bonds and date calculations.

 

Default is Actual.

 

Pressing Itoggles between these options.

 

 

Annual or Semiannual

Bond type.

 

Default is Annual.

Pressing Itoggles between these options.

TVM Standard or TVM Activate or deactivate the compounding per year (C/YR) option in time value of money

Canada

(TVM) calculations. This option is primarily used for Canadian mortgage calculations. See

 

Chapter 4, Canadian Mortgages: TVM Canada for more information.

 

Pressing Itoggles between these options.

 

 

Changing the Calculation Mode

After viewing the default settings, suppose you want to change the calculation mode from Chain to RPN. See Table 1-2.

Table 1-2 Changing the Calculation Mode

Keys

Display

Description

 

 

 

 

:u

 

 

Opens the Mode menu, starting with first setting

 

 

 

 

option, FIX, the number of digits displayed to the

 

 

 

right of the decimal point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<<<

<<

Scrolls to the current setting for the calculation mode, Chain.

(Press five times)

II

 

Selects RPN as the active setting. Note the RPN

 

annunciator to the right.

(Press two times)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O

Exits the Mode menu and returns you to the default calculator screen.

Key Presses, the Shift Key, Secondary, and Tertiary Functions*

To execute the function associated with a key, press and release the desired key. However, most of the calculators’ keys have more than one function: the first, or primary function, the shifted, or secondary function, and, in some cases, a third, or tertiary function (see Figure 2).

* Tertiary functions do not apply to the HP 20b.

4 Basic Features