HP-35’s x^y Why?

[Jeff O.]

(10-30-2021 06:33 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote:  Hi all.

Yeah, all it takes is an x<>y press before the x^y key. So what was the reasoning for the 35’s x^y instead?

Thanks

I thought that I read somewhere that this was due to the lack of a 10^x function on the 35. Having x^y instead of y^x would enable users to more easily take the antilog of a number by entering 10 and pressing x^y, i.e., no swap required. Of course this would only reduce keystrokes if the number whose antilog was desired was already in x as a result of some other calculation, i.e., if it had to be entered from scratch no keystroke savings would result. Perhaps HP studied and found that this would more often be the case. All* subsequent scientific models had a built-in 10^x function, so they could switch to the possibly more natural feeling y^x.

* - I did not check every subsequent scientific model to verify the veracity of this statement, but I believe it to be correct.