You might search EBAY for the older HP-12C - virually the same as the HP-12C Plat but only RPN no algebraic - but the keys work! Not an ad for EBAY - only that they seem to have anything HP.
There is also an HP-12C emulator avail for Palmtops if that is legal on your exam. Emulators/simulators are avail via this hpmuseum.org site. See the sidebar on the homepage. I have installed the HP-15C and HP-12C by Lygea (or see lygea.com direct) on my iPAQ and they both work great. Cost was about $15 each. The 12C also happens to have RPN & Algebraic ala the 12C Plat. Even though the screen is smaller (about 65% of real calc) and they display "sideways" on my iPAQ, they have the look and feel of the real thing less the tactal keys - plus they can be programmed.
If you are concerned about RPN - think of it like this:
Work like you do with paper and pencil - ie write the numbers down, THEN add, subtract, etc. To let the calc know when you have finished inputting the first number, hit ENTER. If you visualize the problem as a VERTICAL paper and pencil problem instead of a horizontal algebra problem, RPN is really quite easy and you don't need to worry about how many brackets [ ie )))) ] you need to finish cuz, there are no pending ops with RPN. Most people I know who have used an RPN calc for 2-weeks, won't go back so the initial confusion is only short lived.
If your exam won't allow the Palmtop emulator, perhaps it would be worthwhile to spend $15 bucks, use the 12C emulator for a while in RPN, and then see if an EBAY search for the real thing is what you need to do.
Hope this helps,
Bob
