How do you enter a repeating decimal

[Joe Horn]

(04-28-2021 03:28 PM)cdmackay Wrote:  

(04-28-2021 02:43 PM)MullenJohn Wrote:  Help,

Using the HP Prime how does one enter a repeating decimal such as 2.(777), i.e. 2.777...777...?

Thanks - Cheers!

2 + 7/9 ?

seriously, I don't know, but would be interested to hear.

That's the best way. Just use as many 9's as there are repeating digits:
71.232323232323... = 71+23/99 (two 9's because there are two repeating digits)
71.234234234234... = 71+234/999 (three 9's because there are three repeating digits)

If the repeating digits do not begin immediately after the decimal point, then ALSO insert as many zeros after the 9's as there are non-repeating digits after the decimal point:
71.2344444444444... = 71.23 + 4/900
(One 9 because one digit is repeating; two 0's because two digits after the decimal point don't repeat)
71.2345656565656... = 71.234 + 56/99000
(two 9's because two digits repeat; three 0's because three digits after the decimal point don't repeat)

This is especially useful in CAS where the above yield exact results. In Home, it's often more efficient to simply key in the decimal approximation, since Home view is intended for approximate math anyway.