Section 2: Display Control33
Later, in section 14, you will learn how to control the way commas and decimal points are used in displayed numbers. In FIX format, the HP-41C normally displays numbers with commas separating groups of numbers like this: 99,187,224.00. The HP-41C can also display numbers without the comma seprators, like this 99187224.00. For European users, the format can even be changed to display numbers with separators and decimal notation like this: 99.187.224,00. If you wish to change the way your HP-41C presently displays numbers, turn to section 14 and read about the decimal point flag and the digit grouping flag.
Scientific Notation Display
In scientific notation each number is displayed with a single digit to the left of the decimal point. This number is followed by a specified number of digits (up to 7) to the right of the decimal point and multiplied by a power of 10. The calculator prompts you for the decimal digit specification with SCI _.
Sign  
 – 1.2345678 – 41 
  Exponent of 10
 
  8-digit mantissa    
 
  Sign of exponent  of 10
Scientific notation is selected by pressing g SCI followed by a digit key to specify the number of decimal places to which the number is rounded. For example, place the speed of light (299,792,500 m/s) in the display and set the calculator to scientific notation.
Keystrokes Display    
299792500  299,792,500 _   Speed of light in vacuum.
g SCI   SCI _   The function and the prompt.
3
 2.998 08
  Indicates 2.998 × 108. Notice that the display rounds if the first hidden mantissa digit is 5 or greater.
g SCI 0
 3. 08
  Indicates 3 × 108.
Note: You can easily key in numbers in scientific notation format by using the EEX (enter exponent) function—more about this later.