Page 2 - Index; License for this manual
Index Index1 Introduction2 Basic Operations3 Memory4 Probability5 Complex numbers 6 Programming 7 Using the Solver 8 Numeric Integration 9 Statistics 10 Matrices11 Other Bases12 Flags License for this manual
Page 3 - Introduction; This manual can interest people who:
1 Introduction Since HP-42S was a very nice calculator, and its official manual is no longer freely available andthere were many people looking for its manual, seemed good to me to write my own HP-42Smanual. I personally don't have a HP-42S (more than U$300 on ebay). I have a HP-33S and had aHP-48G,...
Page 4 - Basic Operations
2 Basic Operations 2.1 RPN HP-42S as most old HP calculators was a RPN calculator. RPN comes from “Reverse PolishNotation”. In RPN we first enter data and then we enter the mathematical operations. Example: To make a simple operation like 2+2 in a normal algebraic calculator we do2 + 2 =which give t...
Page 5 - Setting the display contrast; Now that you have your 42S on try to do the following calculations:
So algebraic calculators are ambiguous because the many ways they work. RPN calculators aremore standard and so less ambiguous. The main key to understand how to use RPN in more complex calculus is to realize that in RPN wemake calculations from “inside” to “outside” instead of from left to right.Ex...
Page 12 - Memory
3 Memory The real HP-42S has about 7200 bytes of memory while Free42 can have much more depending onthe available memory in the computer/handheld. In fact, 7200 bytes is a lot of memory for HP-42S! A program of 10 lines uses about 15 bytes ofmemory. This means that while in some other models like HP...
Page 14 - ▀ CUSTOM menu; To do this we use; ▀ ASSIGN; . When you call this you can select a function from FCN and also; ABS; As you can see the CUSTOM menu has also the
3.3 The ▀ CUSTOM menu This is not related to memory but as we saw the FCN function in the CATALOG menu we arealready able to talk about it. The HP-42S calculator has a lot of functions. And it is not a good idea to find the function you wantevery time in the FCN or to use every time XEQ “function na...
Page 15 - Probability
4 Probability Probability functions are in ▀ PROB menu (over x key). They are COMB , PERM , N! , GAM , RAN and SEED . COMB : This calculates the number of combinations of N things taken r at a time. The order does not matter. A thing cannot appear more than one time. Example: If we have the five let...
Page 16 - RAN; random number generator; SEED
For a integer number we have Γ(n)=(n-1)! and Γ(n+1)=n!. The number in gamma function must bereal. In this point HP-42S is different from 33S which has only one function for both things. RAN : This is the random number generator which gives a pseudo-random number in 0≤ x ≤1. SEED : A sequence of pseu...
Page 17 - Complex Numbers; Complex numbers in rectangular coordinates.
5 Complex Numbers 5.1 Complex numbers in rectangular coordinates. Unlike the HP-33S (and its ancestor HP-32SII) complex numbers are straight supported and used inHP-42S. There is almost nothing special to say. Just enter -1 and press √x, what are you going to have is x: 0.0000 i1.0000 which means i....
Page 18 - Programming; ax
6 Programming Programming in HP-42 is very simple. It does not use RPL style of HP-48 or HP-49. You programin the same way you use the calculator and unlike some non hp cheaper calculators all the steps areshown in the display and in numbered lines. 6.1 Basic programming. Let's imagine you want to m...
Page 19 - STOP
RCL 00 x ÷So what about if you have to solve more 100 of this kind of equation? Only changing the a , b and c values? It would be better to save all the steps in the calculator's memory and let it do thecalculations for you. This is what calculators programming is about. To enter in the program mode...
Page 21 - RTN; and
When in programing mode XEQ function is programed and when the program finds the XEQfunction it changes to the given program which must finish with RTN function. So LBL “label” and RTN makes a kind of procedure and after the procedure is run it goes back tothe previous position. Example: 01 LBL S02 ...
Page 22 - Example: A kind of “timer”
works normally and if not the program jumps one line. The X?Y functions work in the same waybut now the condition is about the lines x and y of the stack and not only about line x. Example: A kind of “timer” 01 LBL A02 103 -04 X=0?05 STOP (Enter R/S)06 GTO A07 RTN In this program you first enter a b...
Page 23 - Using the Solver; Let's suppose we want to solve the equation; Select Solve Program; If you want to solve numerically many equations of the form
7 Using the Solver Unfortunately the HP-42S does not have an equation editor like the 33S one. To use the solver andnumeric integration we must enter the equation in a program which must have a global name. Let's suppose we want to solve the equation x 2 − 5 x 4 = 0 . We are going to enter it in a...
Page 24 - A B C X; P V N
15 +16 END When we leave the program mode and go to Solver menu again we select FX program and what weare going to see is A B C X Now just enter the values of A, B, C and a start value for X and we are done.:) Some interesting things to say are: 1-We can't find complex solutions. 2-In this particula...
Page 25 - Numeric Integration; dx; “Set Vars Select ∫var”
8 Numeric Integration Suppose we want to solve numerically a integral of the form ∫ a b f x dx we write the function in the same way we did in the solver case. Example: Calculate ∫ 0 1 x 2 dx . First we enter the function as a program 01 LBL “FX”02 MVAR “X” (also available in ∫f(x) menu)03 RCL X...
Page 26 - Statistics
9 Statistics To enter statistical data we use the function Σ+ . For one variable statistic just enter the number and press Σ+. For two variables statistic first enter y, press ENTER and then enter x (without pressingENTER!) and finally press Σ+. To clear statistic data just do ▀ CLEAR CLΣ . The stat...
Page 28 - nxm
10 Matrices Despite of its small display one of the nice features of HP-42S is the ability to work with matrices.This is done using basically the ▀ MATRIX menu. This multi-line menu has the following items: NEW , INV , DET , TRAN , SIMQ , EDIT DOT , CROSS , UVEC , DIM , INDEX , EDITN STOIJ , RCLIJ ,...
Page 29 - SIMQ; nxn; complex matrices
Exercise: Calculate the determinant of this matrix: First line: 1 2 3 Second line: -2 3 5 Third line: 0 4 -1Solution: First we create a 3x3 matrix 3 ENTER ▀ MATRIX NEW We have x: [ 3x3 Matrix] in the display Now we press EDIT and we have 1:1=0.0000 Let's enter all elements. (First line) 1 → 2 → 3 Le...
Page 31 - 1 Other Bases; To work with other bases we must use the
11 Other Bases To work with other bases we must use the ▀ BASE menu (over the “4”). This menu has the following functions: A...F : Select hexadecimal mode and show A to F. HEXM : Select hexadecimal mode. DECM : Decimal mode. OCTM : Octal mode. BINM : Binary mode. LOGIC : Show the logic functions AND...
Page 33 - LICENSE
An alternative HP-42S/Free42 Manual (Version 0.6) 2005 Author: José Lauro Strapasson, Brazil. LICENSE This manual is available as is without any warranty.It can be printed, put in web sites to download, freely used, etc, but cannot be translated or changedwithout author's permission (except for pers...
