08-14-2012, 12:40 AM
Hello all.
Being that in its toddlerhood, calculator memory was quite expensive and thus, to keep costs reasonable, the HP-35 was equipped with the foundational slide rule function set as well as one (count 'em, one) storage register. In addition, RPN and the 35's four register requirements kept costs fairly affordable. If TI wanted to, wouldn't a beginning step of 5-level hierarchy with parentheses have required numerous quads and thus make a 35 competitor much pricier than the 35? If so, is the memory cost a factor as to why TI incorporated a very rudimentary algebraic logic functionality?