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A small challenge - Printable Version

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A small challenge - Paul Dale - 12-17-2008

Since things seem to be very quiet I thought I pose a small challenge for the season.

Given a memory cleared HP-12c what is the minimum number of keystrokes required to have 12.25 on the display.

Clearly, this can be done in five keystrokes. Can anyone do it in four or fewer?

If x2 was available without a shift key then here are two ways to do it:

    3 . 5 x2
7 x2 4 /

Unfortunately, x2 isn't even present on the 12c.

Can anyone do this for other calculators? Assume the display mode is appropriately set (i.e. don't count any keystrokes for this).


- Pauli


Re: A small challenge - Katie Wasserman - 12-17-2008

here's one:

[3][5][ENTER][%]

another:

[.][0][8][1/x]


Edited: 17 Dec 2008, 11:30 p.m.


Re: A small challenge - Paul Dale - 12-17-2008

Quote:
[3][5][ENTER][%]

This is what I had in mind.


Quote:
[.][0][8][1/x]

Not quite, this is 12.50 which isn't quite right :-)


- Pauli




Re: A small challenge - Katie Wasserman - 12-17-2008

Quote:
Not quite, this is 12.50 which isn't quite right :-)

What can I say, I work in government :-)




Re: A small challenge - Paul Dale - 12-18-2008

In that case you should have found the two key solution:

    [1][2]

:-)

Still a good effort finding the % solution.


- Pauli




Re: A small challenge - Dave Shaffer (Arizona) - 12-19-2008

Quote:
Can anyone do this for other calculators? Assume the display mode is appropriately set (i.e. don't count any keystrokes for this).

If you've set FIX 2, then

1 5 0 SQRT

will show 12.25 , again in 4 strokes.


Re: A small challenge - Paul Dale - 12-21-2008

The 12c has a square root function in an unshifted position?
News to me :-)

So this should really be:

1 5 0 g SQRT

at five.


Nice attempt nonetheless.


- Pauli


Re: A small challenge - Dave Shaffer (Arizona) - 12-21-2008

Oops! I don't have a 12C and didn't realize that it doesn't have an instant access square root (and I even wondered whether it did a couple of days ago, when I first thought about my scheme - and tested it on a 33S).