DB48X - Complex Number Handling

[c3d]

(10-19-2023 03:33 PM)TomC Wrote:  Entering Complex Numbers:

On the HP48 I would type:

(3 4) or (3,4) to input the complex number 3 +i4.

What is the simplest way to do this on the DB48X?

TomC

Shift G for Complex Menu (matching the COMPLEX label on the DM42).
Then 'i' is on the first function key (F1), and the angle sign is on the second function key (F2). So you type 3 F1 4 ENTER to enter 3+4i, and 3 F2 45 to enter a number with modulus 3 and argument 45 degrees. This approach usually requires less keystrokes than on the HP48, because you skip the "shift parentheses" step (two keystrokes), and the right key to skip the right parenthese when in an equation.

Note that internally, the polar form is stored with the argument as a fraction of pi, irrespective of the angle mode. They get converted to the current angle mode on display. This means that many computations can remain exact. For example, in degrees mode, type 3 F2 45 ENTER 4 F2 90 * 8 Y^X, and you get a number where the imaginary part is exactly 0 and the argument is an integer. The HP50 doing the same computation will display the argument with a .001 at the end.