WP 34S Solver

[AnalogJoe]

Hey Marcio, im glad to find out im not the only one. I've been using HP calculators for a very long time, just like you, in my case I started with a 48G+ which one day became completely destroyed and I had to replace it with a 48GX which again fell several times off my desk, but somehow managed to survive with a few minor screen spots in the corners. Those school benches where you have only a 'one arm' desk are a real hazard to calculators.

Then I bought a 50G which at first I didnt like very much compared to my 48GX, the keyboard just felt funny on the 50G so I used it very little, however over time I learned to like it, and now I use it quite often.

Few months ago I decided to buy an HP Prime and I was blown away by the processing power of that thing, Its like having a light version of Matlab in a calculator, yet I dont see it replacing my 48GX or the 50G, but having CAS and the ability to do very complex symbolic stuff on the fly is really something wonderful with the HP Prime, I used to have a TI Voyage 200 for symbolic manipulation because I always prefered symbolic manipulation of the TIs over the HPs, not anymore, the HP Prime made the TI Voyage almost useless, aside from the Electrical Engineer library of the TI which I still think is the best compared to any EE HP app out there.

I just began a Master's program in EE, and in one of the exams I had to take they told me in advance that "advanced calculators" were strictly forbidden for that particular test, so I borrowed my brother's Casio scientific. Needless to say, after years of using RPN I was completely crippled using that Casio, I honestly felt like a 9 year old learning to use a calculator for the first time, problems which I used to solve in 5 minutes with the HP took me 15 minutes or more with the Casio! there was nothing wrong with that Casio but I was continuously trying to use it as an RPN calc so obviously I had to re-type the entire statement over and over.

It was then that I knew I had to go buy an RPN scientific, and I got myself a 35s, it was a big step down from he 48GX and 50G but it was very useable and RPN! after using it more I got hooked with the RPN programming style and I decided to buy the most advanced RPN scientific I could get, thus the WP 34S came to mind, lets see how it goes.

After all I must say, that my favorite calculator is still the 48GX, even with its sluggish behavior I've never found something quite like it. But these RPN scientifics are so much fun!

(05-27-2015 12:17 AM)Marcio Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 07:36 PM)AnalogJoe Wrote:  Hi, I just bought a WP 34S calculator, I really like it however the learning curve is quite steep with this one. I've been a long time HP user, however most of my experience comes from using the "bigger" HP calculators such as the 48GX and 50G series.

I've been trying to understand the Solve function, to be honest the documentation on the WP 34S is really poor, so I've been reading the Hp 15c manual which apparently is quite similar to the way things are done in the WP 34S.

We're on the same boat, my dear Joe. The 34s is no piece of cake! If you want to fully embrace the genuine RPN world and get drunk with nostalgia capturing the old fashion way of calculating things with limited resources, the 34s will throw you right into the middle of the RPN lion's den. The 35s is a different league (a lot like the 50g in many areas), I myself was considering buying one as my trusty 50g is now overkill for the things I have been doing lately, but I find the 34s a lot more fun.

I agree with you about the manual. The 15c's clearly easier and packed with examples.