FW: kcalc math bug?
I have another interesting observation:
the UNIX calculators don't give a choice, but the windows Calculator
gives an option to select "Scientific" or "Standard" mode.
In scientific mode,
I got, 1+2*3=7
In standard mode,
I got, 1+2*3=9
May be kcalc defaults to the scientific mode!
| > _Any_ calculator that isn't a piece of crap will follow the
| standard
| > precedence rules. Those rules _must_ be obeyed otherwise the real
| > numbers that everyone loves so much would not even form a
| field [this
| > will probably not mean anything to you but...]
| >
| > If you want 1*2+5*50 to be equal to 350 then enter is as
| > (1*2+5)*50=7*50=350
| >
| > AFAIK, a $5 calculator will follow precedence..
| >
| > I hope you realize your error by now..
|
| Well, let's see. I have two cheap calculators right here, one
| a nearly 20-year old Casio FX-115 scientific calculator, and
| the other a fairly new Texas Instruments TI-1795SV
| (four-function with memory). Both are infix, not RPN.
|
| Casio: 1+2*3=7
| TI: 1+2*3=9
|
| I suspect that "scientific" vs. "four-function" is the
| distinction here. The scientific calculator has parenthesis
| buttons to facilitate entering complex expressions, while the
| four-function does not.
|
| Your math-theory objection is really irrelevant to all this.
| For a four-function calculator used for simple accounting
| tasks, you don't want it to get too clever with the numbers
| you're entering, because mostly you're working your way down
| a column entering numbers in a sequence. You need a running
| total after each one, which would make no sense if the
| calculator was waiting for you to finish so it could go back
| and apply precedence rules.
|
| Craig
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