To illustrate how DMS features can be used to solve time-related problems, I present some example exercises: Don’t you remember that there are 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute? These subdivisions are the same as the DMS scheme. But I think it’s less well known that it helps calculations involving time, too. Obviously, this feature is useful for doing calculations with angles expressed in DMS notation. See the manual for details, or just play around with the °′″ button. It supports number input in degree-minute-second format, and can convert to and from decimal format. But for those times when you do need to work in sexagesimal or convert between it and decimal, this calculator comes to the rescue. While it makes some division problems easier for mental arithmetic, generally speaking decimal fractions are far easier to work with in practice. We inherited the sexagesimal (base-60) number system from the Babylonians. This can be useful when answering multiple-choice questions, e.g. To get an integer in the range [0, N), evaluate N×Ran# and mentally discard the fractional part of the result. Ran#+Ran# has a different distribution than 2Ran#.) It takes on a random value for each instance in a formula and for each evaluation of a formula. ) gives a uniformly distributed random number in the range [0, 1) with a step size of 0.001. To evaluate the function at another argument, go to step 2 (not step 1).įor example, this makes it much easier to use the rational root theorem to factor or solve polynomials. Read the value of the evaluated expression. X 2+Y)įor each variable in the expression, give it a value. Procedure:Įnter the expression defining the function. You can evaluate an arbitrary function (of one or more variables) at different arguments without re-entering the function’s definition repeatedly. The solution can be found by solving the equation B÷2+B+3B=180. Here’s an example problem: The 3 angles in a triangle are A, B, and C. Tip: Although linear equations are simple to solve in theory, letting the calculator solve it for you can still save you some algebraic manipulation. The algorithm can easily hang, fail, or give a wrong answer, so beware – it is not an automatic solver for all equations. The calculator uses a form of Newton’s method (as mentioned in the manual) to solve the equation. (However if the equation is linear, then any initial value works.) Try to give a value near an actual solution, or else solving will be slow or will fail. Give an initial guess for the variable and press the equals button. To solve an arbitrary equation of one variable:Įnter the equation on the formula line. Polynomials equations and linear systems are frequently occurring problems in mathematics and sciences, which makes this calculator feature one of the most useful ones. Scroll up and down through the solution vector. Go to EQN mode and stay at the Unknowns? section ( MODE MODE MODE 1)Įnter the number of variables, which is also the number of equations ( 2 or 3)Įnter the 6 or 12 coefficients of the system of linear equations. To solve a system of linear equations in 2 or 3 variables: Scroll up and down through the solution set. Go to EQN mode and scroll over to the Degree? section ( MODE MODE MODE 1 →).Įnter the 3 or 4 (real) polynomial coefficients, from highest degree downward. To solve a quadratic or cubic polynomial equation: These tricks are just built-in features of the calculator that are not entirely obvious, because the previous generation of scientific calculators did not have these features. The official Casio manuals are available in PDF format here: If not, please read the user manuals and review how to use the features on the calculator. This article assumes that you know the basics of how to use the calculator. (When you understand the trick and your calculator’s features, you’ll be able to translate the instructions for your situation.) Official Casio manuals Although the article is for the Casio fx-991MS calculator (and all the tricks mentioned here are guaranteed to work on it), the calculator features and underlying mathematical principles for the tricks are quite general and can be applied to many other calculators as well. On this page, I will show you some advanced and clever tricks that you can do with the calculator. Being able to use these features can also be helpful on tests and exams where scientific calculators are allowed but more powerful graphing calculators are not. Some of these can greatly reduce the effort to solve problems, while others can be abused in interesting and fun ways. The Casio fx-991MS is an affordable scientific calculator with many powerful features.
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