ENG Format (what looks better?)
11-11-2019, 10:01 PM
Post: #1
 agarza Member Posts: 78 Joined: Oct 2016
ENG Format (what looks better?)
I am writing RPN calculator software and have a question regarding ENG display format.

For ENG format I wrote the display function so that it always displays the actual number of decimals but on an HP calculator, the number of decimals displayed depends on the size of the mantissa and exponent.

For example, with ENG 4 what would be a "better" ENG display format for the number 0.0001234567

123.4567 E-6 (This is what I'm currently displaying, 4 decimals)
or
123.46 E-6. (HP style, 2 decimals)

I'm not sure if I explained it correctly.

Regards,
11-12-2019, 09:48 AM
Post: #2
 Garth Wilson Senior Member Posts: 480 Joined: Dec 2013
RE: ENG Format (what looks better?)
HP-41 does
Code:
123.46   -06
ie, four digits after the first one, basically your second one, except that it does not display the "E".

http://WilsonMinesCo.com (Lots of HP-41 links at the bottom of the links page, http://wilsonminesco.com/links.html )
11-12-2019, 10:08 AM
Post: #3
 Paul Dale Senior Member Posts: 1,733 Joined: Dec 2013
RE: ENG Format (what looks better?)
The display setting is specifying the number of significant figures. It should be honoured. I.e. the second option would be my preference.

Pauli
11-12-2019, 12:20 PM
Post: #4
 Dave Britten Senior Member Posts: 1,966 Joined: Dec 2013
RE: ENG Format (what looks better?)
I would lean toward the second option too.

Also, consider using the metric prefixes (perhaps optionally) like Casio does, so 123.46 E-6 would be displayed as 123.46μ. I always thought that was a nice feature.
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