About SciCalc - the first scientific calculator for the Apple Newton™
Version 1.0b2
SciCalc is a simple implementation of a standard (i.e. NOT Reverse Polish or 'RPN') scientific calculator for the Apple Newton MessagePad and similar PDAs. This is the first release version, which has so far only been tested by the developer. If you do find problems, please let me know so that I can rectify them in the next release.
To load it into a Newton MessagePad, you must have a Mac (on which you should be reading this!) and the beta Connection Kit. Simply connect your Mac to your Newton, and install the Calc102.pkg file as a Newton application, down the connection to your Newton.
Bug fixes this version:
In the first posted version, an error (-8007) occurred when dealing with numbers using the thousands separator (e.g. ','). This has now been fixed and thousands, millions, etc., should now work fine throughout. I also hope that this is independent of the number format being used (i.e. what the thousands separator is).
Current features:
All floating point numeric calculations normally found on a basic 'scientific' calculator, including a wide range of trig and exp/log functions.
A single number display, edited by button use only.
Two standard financial functions.
Two user-accessible memorys, which include summation functions.
Constants Pi and e available from keys.
Conversion to and from radians and degrees.
Planned features:
Hexadecimal math (possibly even with hexadecimal point!).
Copying of result to other Newton apps.
My own error/exception trapping.
Note that currently the hex keys (A-F, and the radio button to switch between them) are non-functional.
All routines used are standard built-in Newton math routines, except for the degree to radian conversions, which are simple arithmetic ones.
Note on key naming:
x^y is 'x to the power of y'
sqt is 'square root'
exp is 'e to the power of'
ln is 'log to the base e'
log is 'log to the base 10'
d>r is convert degrees to radians
r>d is convert radians to degrees *** note that all trig is performed in radians***
sin, cos, tan are as they say
asin, aco, ata are arcsine, arccosine and arctangent
sinh, csh, tnh are hyperbolic sine, cosine and tangent
asih, ach, ath are hyperbolic arcsine, arccosine, and arctangent
erf is the error function
erc is the errorc function
ga is the gamma function
annuity calculates the present value factor of an annuity at a given interest rate over the specified periods, the interest rate being per period. The first number entered is the rate, the second the periods. Enter as <rate><annuity><periods><=>.
compound calculates the compounded interest factor over the specified number of periods. The first number entered is the rate, the second the periods, as per annuity.
The keys to the right of, and below, 'M1,2' are the memory access keys - the left column for M1, the right for M2. In each case, the keys mean:
-> saves current display to memory
+ adds current display to memory and stores result in memory
<- replaces current display by memory
C clears memory contents to 0
Pi produces the value of Pi (3.14159....)
e produces the value of e (2.71828....)
clear all clears everything except for the two memories
CE clears only the rightmost character in the display (works on all display entries!)
+/- negates the sign of the display, i.e. + becomes - and vice versa.
Note that errors are currently not trapped - if you divide by zero, then you will get a standard Newton divide by zero error. Similarly, finding the log of a negative number will fill the result with 'box' characters. Very occasionally, you may find that the contents of the display are lost - just press 'clear all' to get a 0 back. I hope to improve this in future versions.
