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Ask HN: Should there be new RPN calculators to replace the TI-84?

28 points idatum | 4 comments | 09 Mar 25 05:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.822s | source

I took an exam today where only TI calculators were available. I felt I was caught between some older models where the TI interface was not quite worked out.

And I don't see much progress then trying my daughter's TI-84.

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RandomBacon ◴[09 Mar 25 13:23 UTC] No.43308886[source]▶
I had to look it up:

RPN = reverse Polish notation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Polish_notation

replies(2): >>43309075 #>>43348165 #
1. pulvinar ◴[09 Mar 25 13:53 UTC] No.43309075[source]▶
Wow. In my day it was well-known. HP calculator ads in magazines explained RPN and why it was better.

"Magazine? Had to look it up."

replies(2): >>43312145 #>>43343721 #
2. pavel_lishin ◴[09 Mar 25 18:30 UTC] No.43312145[source]▶
I did UIL competitions in Texas in the late 90s and early 2000s, including calculator competitions.

That's the only place I've ever heard of RPN, which is what nearly all of the winners used, and which we learned to stand a chance.

replies(1): >>43343196 #
3. dwighttk ◴[12 Mar 25 13:44 UTC] No.43343196[source]▶
I waddled into my first UiL calculator test because the sponsor wanted to get more team members and spent most of my time blown away watching kids entering problems into two calculators simultaneously
4. technothrasher ◴[12 Mar 25 14:35 UTC] No.43343721[source]▶
When I was in high school in the 1980's, the other students knew RPN only as the reason they couldn't borrow my weird calculator.