Section 2: Display Control34
Engineering Notation Display
Engineering notation is similar to scientific notation except that engineering notation shows all exponents as multiples of three (e.g., 103, 10–6, 1012).
 
  Specified significant
digits after the first one 		 
   
 
Sign  
 – 12.345678 – 09 
  Exponent of 10
always a multiple
of three
 
 
    One significant
digit always present 		Sign of
exponent of 10
 
This is particularly useful in scientific and engineering calculations, where units of measure are often specified in multiples of three. Refer to the prefix chart below.
 
Multiplier Prefix Symbol
  1012
109
106
103
10–3
10–6
10–9
10–12
10–15
10–18
tera
giga
mega
kilo
milli
micro
nano
pico
femto
atto
T
G
M
k
m
µ
n
p
f
a
 
Engineering notation is selected by pressing g ENG followed by a number key. The first significant digit is always present in the display, and the number key specifies the number of additional significant digits to which the display is rounded. The decimal point always appears in the display. For example, key in 28.17939 × 10 –16 and change the number of significant digits displayed to see what happens to the number. Remember that the HP-41C prompts you (with ENG _) for the number of significant digits.
Keystrokes Display    
28.17939  28.17939 _    
EEX CHS 16
 28.17939 –16
  The number.