Re: [Phys-l] Should equation solving be done with calculators and robots or by hand?

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

A significant portion of my use of those functions is w/ algebraic  
arguments.  Therefore, parentheses are required, anyway.

bc whose programmable and graphing calculadora uses the "new" method  
tho it's > ten years old.



On 2008, Feb 27, , at 14:50, Rauber, Joel wrote:

> On a related note, I don't like the way that a lot of newer  
> calculators
> work, for example, some of the newer "algebraic" calculators take trig
> functions by the sequence hit sin -> open paren-> number-> close  
> paren.
> presumably in order to make the entry look like how you see it in the
> textbook.
>
> For older calculators the sequence is enter number -> hit the sin
> button.  This is preferable, IMO, as it reinforces the idea that  
> sin is
> a function (or mapping) or an operator that acts on an input to  
> give an
> output.  (Not to mention that it involves less key strokes).
>
> I don't go so far as to prefer RPN logic calculators, which would be a
> logical extension of this comment.  So I suppose I like the "operator"
> method for unary operators but not binary operators.
> :-)