Comments on: Did you know: Calculator is awesome! http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/ Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:01:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cam http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6127 Cam Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:24:03 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6127 I just realized that Calculator has RPN mode- very happy with that. I just realized that Calculator has RPN mode- very happy with that.

]]> By: John http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6123 John Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:57:14 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6123 Adding to what was said above, RPN is also called infix notation. The regular algebra you learned in school is post fix notation. When you look at a complex expression with lots of nested parentheses it is easy to see the structure and groupings but tedious to do the calculation. With RPN it is hard to get an insight to the structure of the expression but very easy to do the arithmatic. With infix notation every time you come to a parenthesis you have to set your work aside and start a new problem. With RPN you either add a number to the stack, perform some math operator on the stack values or manipulate the stack. Adding to what was said above, RPN is also called infix notation. The regular algebra you learned in school is post fix notation. When you look at a complex expression with lots of nested parentheses it is easy to see the structure and groupings but tedious to do the calculation. With RPN it is hard to get an insight to the structure of the expression but very easy to do the arithmatic. With infix notation every time you come to a parenthesis you have to set your work aside and start a new problem. With RPN you either add a number to the stack, perform some math operator on the stack values or manipulate the stack.

]]> By: John http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6124 John Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:57:14 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6124 Adding to what was said above, RPN is also called infix notation. The regular algebra you learned in school is post fix notation. When you look at a complex expression with lots of nested parentheses it is easy to see the structure and groupings but tedious to do the calculation. With RPN it is hard to get an insight to the structure of the expression but very easy to do the arithmatic. With infix notation every time you come to a parenthesis you have to set your work aside and start a new problem. With RPN you either add a number to the stack, perform some math operator on the stack values or manipulate the stack. Adding to what was said above, RPN is also called infix notation. The regular algebra you learned in school is post fix notation. When you look at a complex expression with lots of nested parentheses it is easy to see the structure and groupings but tedious to do the calculation. With RPN it is hard to get an insight to the structure of the expression but very easy to do the arithmatic. With infix notation every time you come to a parenthesis you have to set your work aside and start a new problem. With RPN you either add a number to the stack, perform some math operator on the stack values or manipulate the stack.

]]> By: Steve http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6122 Steve Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:57:59 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6122 Viswakarma, You can click on the green zoom-window button to change calculator modes. Milind, The calculator speaks with whichever voice you set in the Speech preferences, not just Alex. Viswakarma,

You can click on the green zoom-window button to change calculator modes.

Milind,

The calculator speaks with whichever voice you set in the Speech preferences, not just Alex.

]]> By: tim http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6118 tim Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:39:38 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6118 Calculator in spotlight is an enormous time saver. (google supports this too as a search result, but spotlight is much quicker and always open). The spotlight equation parser knows more than simple math: try "log(pi)" I wish it supported the conventional caret for powers "2^2", but pow(2,2) is a work around. For the person who asked "what is RPN?" - it stands for reverse polish notation, and works with a "stack" and needs no equals key: Instead of "2+2=", you push the two operands onto the stack, then just provide an operator which will work on the elements stacked above it. So "2+2" becomes "2 2 +". Think of it like "my numbers are 2 & 2", "my request is addition" - hey presto. Calculator in spotlight is an enormous time saver. (google supports this too as a search result, but spotlight is much quicker and always open).

The spotlight equation parser knows more than simple math: try “log(pi)”

I wish it supported the conventional caret for powers “2^2″, but pow(2,2) is a work around.

For the person who asked “what is RPN?” – it stands for reverse polish notation, and works with a “stack” and needs no equals key: Instead of “2+2=”, you push the two operands onto the stack, then just provide an operator which will work on the elements stacked above it. So “2+2″ becomes “2 2 +”. Think of it like “my numbers are 2 & 2″, “my request is addition” – hey presto.

]]> By: Milind Alvares http://smokingapples.com/basics/did-you-know-calculator-is-awesome/#comment-6114 Milind Alvares Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:15:06 +0000 http://smokingapples.com/?p=9494#comment-6114 Can someone tell me what RPN is? I tried clicking it but nothing happened, so I ignored it. Can someone tell me what RPN is? I tried clicking it but nothing happened, so I ignored it.

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