Keying in Exponents of Ten

Use a(exponent) to key in numbers multiplied by powers of ten. For example, take Planck's constant, 6.6261 ⋅ 10–34:

1.Key in the mantissa (the non–exponent part) of the number. If the mantissa is negative, press ^after keying in its digits.

Keys:Display:

6.6261

)  _

2.Press a. Notice that the cursor moves behind the :

a)  _

3.Key in the exponent. (The largest possible exponent is ±499.) If the exponent is negative, press ^after you key in the  or after you key in the value of the exponent:

34 ^

)  ._

For a power of ten without a multiplier, such as 1034, just press a34. The calculator displays .

Other Exponent Functions

To calculate an exponent of ten (the base 10 antilogarithm), use {. To calculate the result of any number raised to a power (exponentiation), use (see chapter 4).

Understanding Digit Entry

As you key in a number, the cursor (_) appears in the display. The cursor shows you where the next digit will go; it therefore indicates that the number is not complete.

Getting Started 1–15