HP Prime Graphing NW280AAABA Mathematical calculations, Choosing an entry type, Where to start

Mathematical calculations

Where to start

The most commonly used math operations are available from the keyboard (see “Math keys” on page 24). Access to the rest of the math functions is via various menus (see “Menus” on page 28).

Note that the HP Prime represents all numbers smaller than 1 × 10–499as zero. The largest number displayed is 9.99999999999 × 10499. A greater result is displayed as this number.

The home base for the calculator is the Home view (H). You can do all your non-symbolic calculations here. You can also do calculations in CAS view, which uses the computer algebra system (see chapter 3, “Computer algebra system (CAS)”, starting on page 53). In fact, you can use functions from the CAS menu (one of the Toolbox menus) in an expression you are entering in Home view, and use functions from the Math menu (another of the Toolbox menus) in an expression you are entering in CAS view.

Choosing an entry type

The first choice you need to make is the style of entry. The three types are:

•Textbook

An expression is entered in much the same way as if you

were writing it on paper (with some arguments above or below others). In other words, your entry could be two-dimensional, as in the example above.

•Algebraic

An expression is

entered on a single line. Your entry is

always one-dimensional.

36 Getting started