Play and Learn 2/19941.ZIP/19941/EDUCMISC/TOUCTYPE/EQUATOR.TXT

Text File | 1994-02-04 | 21.3 KB | 500 lines

     Welcome to the EQUATOR! The EQUATOR is an equation learning aid.
The purpose of this product is to help you the student learn the function,
use and application of various general purpose formulas used in the fields of
Math, Finance, and Science.

     The EQUATOR is a user-supported program. User-supported software is
based on the following concepts:
     1)  The value and usefulness of software is best determined by the
         user on his own system
     2)  The creation of software can and should be supported by the user
         community.
     3)  The copying of sofware should be encouraged and not restricted.

     Any user that finds this program useful is asked for a $20 donation.
This donation is strictly optional. All users are encouraged to copy and
distribute this program to other IBM PC users free of charge. Anyone sending
a blank formatted disk along with a stamped return envelope will recieve a
free copy of the EQUATOR and its documentaion. Remember, you the user will
determine how valuable this program is. You the user can contribute to the
quality of this program by offering suggestions for improvement. And you the
user will be the critic and advertiser we depend on.

     This product consists of 35 equations divided equally among the three
subjects. Each equation appears on its own screen or worksheet. The EQUATOR
is designed to allow you to experiment with each equation as much as you like.
The more you work with an equation, the easier it will be for you to under-
stand it, remember it, and use it at home or at school. As the actual equation
is shown on your screen, you can type in your numbers and let the EQUATOR
compute the right answer. Entering the numbers is easy and telling the EQUATOR
to compute the answer is even easier. Everything you need to know about using
the EQUATOR is on the screen at all times.

     To use this manual with the EQUATOR do the following:
1) First spend some time reading it on your own. If you come to a part that
   you can't understand, skip it. Just get a feel for what the EQUATOR can
   do for you.

2) Next start the EQUATOR as described below. Each time you see a new screen
   or menu, read the manual to see what you can do. You will find the manual
   easier to understand now that you are actually using the EQUATOR.

3) When you begin to feel comfortable with the EQUATOR, put down the manual
   and try using the EQUATOR by itself. Keep the manual close by just in case.
   The EQUATOR is simple to use so take your time and enjoy.

     The requirements for using the EQUATOR Version 1.2 are:
 1) IBM PC (or compatible) with at least 64K of internal memory
 2) PC-DOS 2.0 (or later) operating system
 3) 1 disk drive
 4) A printer

     The following files should be on your diskette when you buy the EQUATOR:
 1) EQ.EXE       (EQUATOR Main menu program file)
 2) MATH.EXE     (Math equations program file)
 3) SCIENCE.EXE  (Science equations program file)
 4) FINANCE.EXE  (Finance equations program file)
 5) EQUATOR.TXT  (EQUATOR manual)
 6) PRT.BAT      (Batch file to print EQUATOR.TXT)

     The first thing that you should do when you buy the EQUATOR is to make a
backup copy of it. The instructions on how to do this can be found in your DOS
2.0 manual starting on page 3-10.

     To start the EQUATOR, do the following:
 1) Boot up Your IBM PC with DOS 2.0
 2) Insert your diskette containing the EQUATOR files into your default disk
    drive. This will usually be your "A:" disk drive.
 3) Type EQ after the "A>" prompt and press the RETURN key.

     The Equator is menu-driven. This means the screen you are working with
will always contain information on what actions you can take next. These
actions will include ending the program, computing the next answer, or going
to another screen. So there is no need for you, the user, to memorize a series
of long and confusing commands. There are three kinds of screens in this pro-
duct: the Main Menu, the Subject Menus, and the Equation Worksheets.

     The first screen that you will see is the Main Menu. This menu will list
for you the three subjects that are covered by this product. Your choices on
this menu can be typed in lower or upper case. If you type in a key that is
not a correct choice, you will hear a short beep noise from the computer. If
you type in a correct choice and the EQUATOR can't find one of the program
files then the error message:

       "You must have all your .EXE files on the default disk drive."
       "Bring all your .EXE files together and try again."

will tell you to check and make sure that all the EQUATOR files are together
on the default drive. Typing in a correct choice from this menu will bring you
to one of three Subject Menus. The EXIT choice on this Menu will end the pro-
gram and clear the screen.

     Each Subject Menu is handled in the same way as the Main Menu. A list of
all the equations available under the subject will be shown to you.
Your choices on any menu can be typed in lower or upper case. If you type
in a key that is not a correct choice, you will hear a short beep noise from
the computer. if you type in a correct choice and the EQUATOR can't find one
of the program files then the error message:

       "You must have all your .EXE files on the default disk drive."
       "Bring all your .EXE files together and try again."

will tell you to check and make sure that all the EQUATOR files are together
on the default drive. Typing in a correct choice from any menu will bring you
to one of the Equation Worksheets. The EXIT choice on these Menus will bring
you back to the Main Menu.

     The following equations are in the Math Menu of the EQUATOR:

     1. Area of a square of rectangle.
     2. Area of a circle.
     3. Area of a triangle.
     4. Hypotenuse of a right triangle.
     5. Circumference of a circle.
     6. Volume of a cylinder.
     7. Surface area of a cylinder.
     8. Volume of a cone.
     9. Surface area of a cone.
    10. Surface area of a sphere.
    11. Volume of a sphere.
    12. Distance between two points.

     The following equations are in the Finance Menu of the EQUATOR:

     1. Simple interest.
     2. Compound interest.
     3. Years to double investment.
     4. Return needed to keep up with inflation.
     5. Equivalent taxable return of a non-taxed investment.
     6. Monthly mortgage payments.
     7. Annual simple interest rate on loans.
     8. Payoff balance on a loan.
     9. Gross profit margin.
    10. Net profit margin.
    11. Earnings per share.
    12. Price / Earnings ratio.

     The following equations are in the Science Menu of the EQUATOR:

     1. Celsius to Farhrenheit.
     2. Farhrenheit to Celsius.
     3. Density Ratio.
     4. Average velocity.
     5. Metric to English.
     6. English to Metric.
     7. Acceleration.
     8. Force.
     9. Work.
    10. Power.
    11. Pressure.

     The Escape(ESC) key used from the Main Menu or Subject Menus will
immediately end the program and clear the screen. This key is good for anyone
who likes to finish up quickly no matter what menu or screen he is on.

     The screens that you will be working with most are the equation work-
sheets. These worksheets will consist of two parts. The upper portion of the
worksheet will describe the actual equation that you will be working with.

    For Example:    Area = Width * Length

This area of the worksheet will never contain a long desciption of an equation.
But, the variables in each equation will be spelled out. This is a key aid in
helping you learn to use each equation. The following math symbols will be
used throughout the EQUATOR:

    *     multiplication               [ or (    left parenthesis
    /     division                     ] or )    right parenthesis
    +     addition                     ^         exponentiation
    -     subtaction or minus sign     =         equal sign
    ?     square root                  %         percent sign
    $     dollars sign                 ?         PI constant
    .     decimal point                .XX       percent in decimal form

     The bottom portion of each equation worksheet is your work area. This area
will contain the variable names of the equation and a place or field for you
to enter in your numbers. These fields are called value fields.

     For Example:   Width = __________

Your place in a value field will always be marked by the cursor. The cursor is
the moving(sometimes blinking) marker of light on the screen that indicates
your current position on the screen. Each time you come to a new equation
worksheet, the cursor will be in the first position of the first value field.

When you are at this point in the EQUATOR, there are only certain keys that you
can use. They are as follows.

The Escape(Esc) key:
     This key is found in the upper left hand area of the IBM PC keyboard.
This key will end the EQUATOR program immediately and clear the screen.
It doesnt matter what you are doing, even if you are in the middle of
entering a number, the Esc key will get you out of it.

The Backspace key:
     This key is found in the upper right hand area of the IBM PC keyboard.
It looks like a large left arrow. This key  will move the screen cursor one
position to the left. It will not erase any numbers as it moves to the left.
If the cursor is already in the leftmost position of a field, the Backspace
key will cause the cursor to appear in the rightmost position of the field.
This is called cursor wraparound.

The Space Bar:
     This key is found on the bottom of the IBM PC keyboard. It is a large
key. This key  will move the screen cursor one position to the right. It will
not erase any numbers as it moves to the right. If the cursor is already in
the rightmost position of a field, the Space Bar will cause the cursor to
appear in the leftmost position of the field. This is called cursor wraparound.

The Insert(Ins) key:
     This key is found in the lower right hand area of the IBM PC key-
board. Its purpose is to allow you to insert numbers in between numbers
that you have already entered on a value field. To make room for a number
in this way you must do the following. First position the cursor exactly
where you want the new number to be in the field. Next, press the Ins key.
You will notice the cursor change shape. This means that you are in insert
mode and can now enter the new numbers. You will notice that as you enter a
number, all numbers to the right of the cursor will shift to the right.
If you attempt to insert more numbers than there is room for, a short beep
will sound telling you that no more numbers can be inserted. To get out of
insert mode you must press the Ins key again. You will see the cursor change
back to its original shape.

The Delete(Del) key:
     This key is found in the lower right hand area of the IBM PC keyboard.
This key will do the exact opposite of the Insert key. It will delete a
number on a value field where the cursor is positioned at. When this
happens, all numbers to the right of the cursor will shift to the left to
fill the gap. The cursor itself will not move.

The Enter key:
     This key is found on the right hand area of the IBM PC keyboard. It is
just under the Backspace key. The symbol on it looks almost like the backspace
symbol. This key is sometimes called the Return or Carraige Return key.
Pressing this key will move the screen cursor to the next value field.
The cursor will be on the first position of that field.

The Control-End Key:
     This key is actually two separate keys pressed together at the same
time. The first is the Control(Ctrl) key which is on the lower left hand
area of the keyboard. The second is the End key which is on the lower right
hand area of the keyboard. Pressing these keys together at the same time,
will cause all the numbers from the current position of the cursor to the
end of the value field to be erased. This key combination can be used
instead of pressing the Delete key many times. If the cursor is at the
beginning of a value field, then pressing Control-End will cause the
entire field to be erased.

The Print Screen(PrtSc) Key:
     This key is found in the lower right hand area of the keyboard. It is
upper case asterisk(*). To use Prt-Sc, press the upper case key and the
asterisk(*) at the same time. Pressing this key will cause the entire screen to
be printed out on the printer. This key will allow you to save your work. if
your printer is not on or if you do not have a printer connected to your
IBM PC, pressing this key will stop the EQUATOR for a few seconds(its busy
looking for a printer that isnt there) and then let you continue. The PrtSc
key is of no use to you if you have no printer connected to your PC.

The Function Keys:
      There are 10 Function keys(F1 to F10) located on the left side of the
keyboard. The EQUATOR uses only F1, F2, and F3.
      Pressing F1 will cause the EQUATOR to calculate or compute the answer
to the equation you are currently working on using the values you have been
typing in. If you left any of the value fields blank, the EQUATOR will use
zero for that value. When the EQUATOR is finished with its calculations, it
will display you the answer near your value fields.

     For Example:     Length = 1_________

                       Width = 9_________

                        Area =  9

A number of the equations used by the EQUATOR use division. If you leave a
value field blank that will cause a division by zero, a short beep will
sound telling you that you must enter in a number in that value field.
If the answer to the equation is very large or very small, it will be dis-
played by the EQUATOR in scientific notation. For example, 23E-9 is equal to
.000000023 and 23E+9 is equal to 23000000000.
The F1 key will be your most often used key.

     Pressing the F2 key will start you over on the equation worksheet. All
numbers in all the value fields will be erased. This will save you from using
the Control-End key many times to erase all value fields.

     Pressing the F3 key will exit you from the equation worksheet that you
are working on to its subject menu. For example, if you were working on the
Area equation, F3 will take you back to the Math Menu. From the Math Menu you
can go on to another equation. This key is similar to the Escape key.

     In the value fields themselves, any number from 0 to 9 can be typed in
from the keyboard. These keys are lined up across the top of the keyboard and
on the right hand side of the keyboard. In addition, you can use a decimal
point(.) and a minus sign(-) in any value field.

     Here is a quick reference guide to the above mentioned keys. Use this
information while you are working with an equation worksheet.

     Press ESC to quit the program.
     Press ENTER to move to the next value field.
     Press BACKSPACE to move the cursor one position to the left.
     Press SPACE BAR to move the cursor one position to the right.
     Press DEL to delete a number.
     Press INS to insert a number.
     Press CNTL-END to delete the rest of the value field.
     Press 0 through 9, "-", or "." for the numbers.

    And now for some usage tips on the equation worksheets. Use these tips
while you are working with the equations themselves.

1. Area of a square of rectangle.

     Area is the amount of space inside the square or rectangle.
     It doesn't matter which side of the shape is used for width or length in
     this equation.
     This screen can also be used to learn and practice multiplication.

2. Area of a circle.

     The actual value of PI used in the computation is 3.141, not 3.1428571
     or 22/7.
     The radius is the distance between the center of the circle and the edge
     of the circle.

3. Area of a triangle.

     If the triangle shape was standing up, the base would be the bottom line.

4. Hypotenuse of a right triangle.

     A right triangle has one 90 degree corner.
     In a right triangle, the hypotenuse is the longest side and the side
     opposite the 90 degree corner.

5. Circumference of a circle.

     Circumference is the length around the edge of the circle.

6. Volume of a cylinder.

     Volume is the amount of space inside the solid shape.

7. Surface area of a cylinder.

     Surface area is the amount of space on the outside of the solid shape.
     You only have to type in the radius value once, not twice!

8. Volume of a cone.

9. Surface area of a cone.

     The slant height is the length of the crooked side of the cone.
     You only have to type in the radius value once, not twice!

10. Surface area of a sphere.

11. Volume of a sphere.

12. Distance between two points.

     If you leave any coordinate blank, a zero will be used for that coordi-
     nate during the calculations.

1. Simple interest.

     Principal is the original amount, leave out the commas and dollar signs.
     Leave out the percent(%) symbol when typing in the interest rate.
     Years can be typed in whole or partial amounts.

2. Compound interest.

     The "Times per Year" value cannot be 0, and need only be typed in once
     not twice!
     This equation is what banks use on your savings account.

3. Years to double investment.

     The Annual Rate of Return value cannot be 0.
     This equation can also be called "How to Double your money!"

4. Return needed to keep up with inflation.

     All values are shown as percent figures.
     The higher your tax bracket, the bigger return you need to keep up with
     inflation.

5. Equivalent taxable return of a non-taxed investment.

     This equation will answer the question: should you invest in Savings
     Bonds or in a Money Market?
     The higher your tax bracket, the greater your taxable return.

6. Monthly mortgage payments.

     The Interest Rate value cannot be 0.
     The Number of Monthly Payments value cannot be 0.
     Balance Owed is the amount of money you currently owe the bank or
     mortgage company.
     This equation can be used to calculate monthly payments on any kind of
     loan (student, car, etc.).
     This is a complex equation!

7. Annual simple interest rate on loans.

     The Principal value cannot be 0.
     This equation doesn't work for compound interest rate problems.

8. Payoff balance on a loan.

     The Interest Rate value cannot be 0.
     Use this equation to payoff that car or student loan!

9. Gross profit margin.

     The Net Sales value cannot be 0.
     Cost of Goods Sold is the cost to make those goods you sold.
     Depreciation is how much the unsold goods lost in value by just sitting
     around.

10. Net profit margin.

     The Net Sales value cannot be 0.
     This equation can also be used to learn and practice division problems.

11. Earnings per share.

     The Shares outstanding value cannot be 0.
     Preferred Dividends is money given to preferred stockholders.

12. Price / Earnings ratio.

     The Earnings per Share value cannot be 0.

1. Celsius to Farhrenheit.

     If you add 273 degrees to the Celsius answer, you get the degrees in
     Kelvin.

2. Farhrenheit to Celsius.

3. Density Ratio.

     The Volume value cannot be 0.
     The unit of measure for most science equations is metric.

4. Average velocity.

     This equation is for average velocity, not instantaneous velocity.
     The Time value cannot be 0.

5. Metric to English.

     The first "Meters =" value field will give you Feet.
     The second "Meters =" value field will give you Yards.
     You don't have to fill in all the fields to get an answer.

6. English to Metric.

7. Acceleration.

     The Time value cannot be 0.
     Change in velocity is the difference between the starting velocity and
     the ending velocity.

8. Force.

     Newtons (after Isaac Newton) are the units of measure for Force.

9. Work.

     Joules (after James Prescott Joule) are the units of measure for Work.

10. Power.

     The Time value cannot be 0.
     Watts (after James Watt) are the units of measure for Power.

11. Pressure.

     The Area value cannot be 0.
     Pascals (after Blaise Pascal) are the units of measure for Pressure.

     Here are some final tips on using the EQUATOR:

1.   Save your work! Use the Prt-Sc key!
2.   Make sure all your .EXE files are on the default disk drive.
3.   The Esc key will get you out of the EQUATOR no matter where you are.
4.   Make a backup copy of the EQUATOR.
5.   Use the PRT.BAT file to print this user manual.
6.   Read the user manual!
7.   If we can be of any service to you concerning the EQUATOR, write:

                  Larry Fernandez
                  Fernandez Enterprises
                  3062 King Estates
                  San Jose, California   95135

                  Fernandez Enterprises
                  3062 King Estates