Hello Karl,
I don't have an HP-17B but I think the equations should run just fine on it. I'd like to test the equations on the HP-17BII+ also.
The HP-200LX was a good developing tool, but when solving for the inverse functions using the full-range equations I noticed the HP-17BII behaved differently. That's why I had to append the apparently useless terms to the cosine and tangent equations in the what I called IF-LESS EQUATIONS sets (that was an experiment I decided to keep).
I have just included a note at the end about a even shorter minimax polynomial equation (see my reply to Charles, which ended up orphan). The minimax polynomial is accurate in the range -18 to 18 degrees, that is, +/- 90/5. It is then expanded to -90 to 90 degrees by means of
sin 5.x = sin x * (sin2x * (16 * sin2x - 20) + 5)
This doesn't improve the solving time but makes the equation shorter. Reducing the range even more would actually make the equation slower and longer. I think this is the right balance between size and speed.
Regards,
Gerson.
Edited: 14 Jan 2007, 2:38 a.m.