The programmable calculator the HP-30b should have been

[Joseph_21sv]

The 30b is financial and uses a three-digit exponent even though it “does not need” to use exponents of ten for any earthly reason, especially with its 15 digit precision. Therefore, since the point of this calculator is that it is the calculator the 30b should have been, it inherits the “unnecessary” exponent display of the 30b.