Rediscovering the HP50g after many years ...

[JohnStr]

(02-28-2022 08:18 PM)John Keith Wrote:  I don't see an image, but the decimal points are there because the 50g is in approximate mode. The 50g also has an exact mode which uses exact arbitrary-precision integers and rational numbers. The decimal points tell you that the number is approximate, whereas exact integers have no decimal point.

If you enter or edit a program in approximate mode, all integers are converted to approximate. If this is undesirable, hold down right-shift and press ENTER. This action switches between modes. Note that changing to exact mode does not remove the decimal points- you have to edit them out if they are unwanted.

Approximate numbers are identical to standard (floating-point) numbers from the HP48 series. Calculations are usually faster with approximate numbers than with exact integers but are limited to 12 digits.

Hi John, Many thanks for explaining the differences in representation of 'approximate' versus 'exact' integers. (I've now attached the 50g image file above.) I changed Flag 105 to 'Exact mode on' and re-transferred the program onto the 50g, the integers in the program listing no longer include decimal points. Problem resolved!