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HP calcs are really not that accurate..
12-02-2017, 08:49 AM
Post: #14
RE: HP calcs are really not that accurate..
(12-02-2017 07:42 AM)DA74254 Wrote:  I also learned that the binary operation modus of electronics never can represent decimal output accurate (in short). (This last sentence probably don't sound correct, but English is not my native language).

To my knowledge, most (if not all) hp calculators do not work internally in binary, but in decimal. Well, in fact they do work in binary, as they use 2-level digital circuitry, but use BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) to represent the numbers, thus the maths are done in decimal.

The root of the problem is that they use a finite number of digits (decimal or binary) to represent numbers.

Regards.

p.s. As a note, an wp34s returns 2.000000000000006 (shown as 2, as the display holds 12 digits only). In double mode it returns 1.999999999999999999999999999999974.

p.s. 2. Tried what happens when you subtract 2 from the result?
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RE: HP calcs are really not that accurate.. - emece67 - 12-02-2017 08:49 AM



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