The HP-55 Enigma

[Namir]

(08-04-2021 04:14 AM)Matt Agajanian Wrote:  Hi all.

I’m trying to make sense of the why, how, where of the HP-55. Armed with two conditional tests, no subroutines, 50 partially merged program steps, what was the intended objective of the 55?

The way I see it—with its function set, it seems a stronger scientific calculator than a programmable.

So, please enlighten me.

Thanks

The HP-55 was my first HP calculator. I used the programming to transform variables for the linear regression. I was also able to push the machine to limit to calculate summation series. As an engineering student I did use the timer in performing experiments in my personal lab (at home) and indeed benefited from the unit conversion features.

My second HP calculator was the hP-67 with its relatively advanced programming features (more steps and merged ones at that, a bit more memory, labels, subroutines, indirect addressing, and program/data I/O on magnetic cards).

Namir