HP 9g User manual

hp calculators
HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format
The MODE Key
The MAIN Mode
The STAT Mode
The BaseN Mode
The PROG Mode
The Angle Mode
Display Format

hp calculators
HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format
This learning module introduces the different operating modes inwhich your HP 9g can work. It also describes the angle
mode used by the trigonometric functions. Finally, you will find a description of the various display formats available.
The MODE key (`)
This key displays a menu with the four operating modes available on your HP 9g. The active mode appears underlined in
the mode menu. You can use the „and †keys to select the desired mode and then press =or alternatively you can
simply press the number of the mode. They are MAIN (0), STAT (1), BasenN (2) and PROG (3) Pressing :cancels
this menu returning to the mode that was active when `was pressed.
While the mode menu is displayed, you can use the …and ‡keys to adjust the display contrast.
The MAIN mode
It is the default mode and the one you will use most of the time. Use this mode for most calculations (arithmetic and
function calculations) and for plotting graphs. Programs can also beexecuted in this mode using the Vkey.
The STAT mode
Used for statistical calculations. When this mode is selected another menu is displayed with the following options: 1-VAR
for single-variable statistics, 2-VAR for two-variable statistics, REG for regression calculations and D-CL which clears all
the statistical data entered. Graphs can also be plotted in this mode. There are four types of graphs which are specific to
this mode, namely normal distribution, histogram, statistical process control and scatter graph. When this mode is active,
the annunciator STAT is lit. Several learning modules for the HP 9g deal with statistical calculations.
The BaseN mode
This mode is used for calculations in several bases: base 2, base 8, base 10 an base 16. Allowable operations are basic
arithmetic and logical operations. An annunciator shows the current base you are working in. BaseN calculations are
described in the HP 9g learning modules Base Conversions and Logical Operations..
The PROG mode
In this mode programs can be entered, edited, deleted, executed and traced (for debugging). A submenu displays all
these options. Programs are described in the learning module Writing a Small Program.
The Angle mode
The angle mode is shown in the display of your HP 9g with an annunciator at the bottom. Letters D, R and G stand for
the three angle units Degrees, Radians and Grads respectively. Setting the angle mode is as simple as pressing the
Xkey, selecting the desired mode and pressing =(or you can press :to disregard the change and quit the
DRG menu). Angle values are:
Degrees 360 degrees in a circle
Radians 2πradians in a circle
Grads 400 grads in a circle
The angle measure affect trigonometric calculations and polar/rectangular coordinate conversions.
hp calculators - 2 - HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format - Version 1.0

hp calculators
HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format
Display format
The default format is Floating Point notation in which the number of displayed decimal places is not fixed but depends on
the result. All digits are displayed except trailing zeros. Up to 9 decimal places can be displayed. You can set the number
of decimal places displayed, though, to any number from 0 to 9 by pressing ~Ü and then the desired number – the
=key is not required now . This is called a fixed display format because the number of displayed decimal digits is
always the same, trailing zeros are appended if needed. To restore the default mode press ~Ü. (dot). ~Ü
displays results rounded to a fixed number of decimal places, but the actual numbers (that is, the ones internally
stored) are not altered.
Example 1: Calculate 8π2 in the default mode.
Solution: To make sure you are currently in the default mode, press ~Ü. ~x select FLO and press
=Now the calculator is in Floating Point mode with all digits displayed. Press
8~ÕL=
Answer: 78.95683521
Example 2: Calculate 8π2 showing only two decimal digits.
Solution: With the previous result still displayed , just press
~Ü2
The result has been rounded to two decimal digits.
Answer: 78.96
When you set FIX · (~Ü.) again, all the digits re-appear because theinternal value remains untouched, and is
used in chain calculations to full precision. To round an operation to the current display setting use the RND function
in the MATH menu (Yand press 3or select RND and press =); when this result is used in another calculation, it
is the rounded number that will be used instead.
Example 3: Round πto two decimal digits and display this number to 6 decimal digits.
Solution: Assuming FIX 2 is still the current format, press
~Õ=
3.14 is displayed but the internal number is still 3.141592654 (and so on up to 24 digits). Press
Y3~Ú=
Now the internal result has been rounded. With the previous result still displayed , just press ~Ü2.
The result has been rounded to two decimal digits. Finally ~Ü6 displays four trailing zeros.
Answer: 3.140000
hp calculators - 3 - HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format - Version 1.0

hp calculators
HP 9g Operating Modes and Display Format
Three number display formats are available on the HP 9g, namely the Floating Point, the Scientific format and the
Engineering format. They are accessed through the SCI/ENG menu (~x).
As stated above, the Floating Point format is set by default and corresponds to the full-precision display. Additionally, the
number of displayed decimal places can be set beforehand by pressing ~Ü.
In Scientific format, results are displayed with an exponent, one digit to the left of the decimal point, and the number of
decimal places specified by the current FIX setting.
Example 4: Display 123.456789 in Scientific format with five decimal digits.
Solution: Let’s key in the number 123.456789 and then set the display format to Scientific: press
123.456789~x
select SCI and press =. Now let’s fix the number of decimal digits to 5 by pressing:
~Ü5
Answer: 1.23457x1002
In Engineering format, results are displayed with an exponent that is a multiple of 3, and the number of significant digits
beyond the first one specified by the current FIX setting. For example, the previous result becomes 123.45679x100in
Engineering 5 format.
Example 5: Display 123.456x107in Engineering format with five decimal digits.
Solution: Let’s key in the number
123.456,7
and now set the display format to Engineering: press
~x
select ENG and press =. The number of decimal digits is already 5 from the previous example.
Answer: 1.23456x1009
Notice that the SCI and ENG annunciators are lit when these formats are active. Also, the FIX annunciator is turned on
whenever a fixed number of decimal places has been specified (i.e. F0 through F9, but not F·)
It is worth noting that there are two particular combinations of FIX and SCI/ENG settings that are not present on many
other calculators, and that you may find particularly convenient. They are the non-fixed SCI and ENG formats:
~Ü.~x select SCI or ENG and press =.
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