Practice using your RPN calculator

This is the second page of my explanation of how to use an RPN calculator. If you didn't read the first page you might want to do that now.

Remember, the way that we do arithmetic on an RPN calculator is

1. key in the first value
2. press the <Enter> key
3. key in the second value
4. press the appropriate operator key
.

The free calculator has five arithmetic functions: / Division X Multiplication - Subtraction + Addition, and y^x Exponentiation

Your first assignment

Let's start easy. Solve this arithmetic expression: 2+2

On the free calculator use your stylus (or fingernail) to tap

2

Enter

2

+

Now, try this one: 3X2

You tap:

3

Enter

2

X

Addition and multiplication are easy because they don't depend on the order of the numbers. "3X2" is exactly the same as "2X3". But, now we'll try something that depends on the order of the numbers.

What is 2/3?

You tap:

2

Enter

3

/

And, how about 3-2?

You tap:

3

Enter

2

-

Well, that really wasn't very difficult. You just key in the numbers in the same order that they appear in the expression.

There's one more arithmetic function on the keyboard. That's the exponent function, which lets you raise a number to a power. Let's try it out: What's three squared?

You tap:

3

Enter

2

y^x

That's all there is to the basic five functions. Now you know how to do simple arithmetic with your RPN calculator. But we haven't talked about the most powerful aspect of your RPN calculator. On the next page, we'll learn how to use the exponent function to calculate square roots. Later we'll use the exponent function and nested calculations to calculate cube roots.