Calculator benchmark

[robve]

I just bought a used Sharp EL-5100S in excellent condition to play with while I'm out of town. The EL-5100 was first produced in 1979 (Eddie's blog post). The EL-5100 is the first calculator with algebraic entry and dot matrix display (virtual museum of calculators). It not only looks great, it is awesome to use too.

So the first thing I tried with my "new" machine is AER (Algebraic Expression Reserve) to store and run the benchmark formula.

Code:

AER-switch                   1 switch to AER mode
[2ndF][f()=]AB[2ndF][f()=]   6 enter formula LHS: f(AB)=
A[x^2]+A-[LN]B,[LN]B[x^2]   11 enter formula RHS: A^2+A-LN B, LN B^2

Setup: 18 keystrokes

This assumes the AER space was empty or can be typed over. To clear AER, press [2ndF][CA].

Code:

COMP-switch     1 switch to comp mode
COMP            1 activate AER formula
3.12[COMP]      5
2.56[COMP]      5 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
B/2[COMP]       4 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
B/2[COMP]       4 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
2A[COMP]        3
[COMP]          1 B is unchanged displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
2A[COMP]        3
[COMP]          1 B unchanged displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
2A[COMP]        3
B/2[COMP]       4 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
B/2[COMP]       4 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
B/2[COMP]       4 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
18.59[COMP]     6
[COMP]          1 B is unchanged, displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
17.63[COMP]     6
[COMP]          1 B is unchanged, displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
2B[COMP]        3 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y
[COMP]          1 A is unchanged
2B[COMP]        3 displays X
[COMP]          1 displays Y

Execution: 81 keystrokes

Sharp EL-5100(S): 99 keystrokes

The execution shows prompts for the A=? and B=? values. The results displayed are shown with ANS 1 and ANS 2. This makes it easy to keep track of the values entered and the results produced.

I haven't used any shortcuts for this specific benchmark in the setup, i.e. this result is representative of the general performance of this calculator for this type of problem, not for this specific benchmark.

Just my 2c: shortcuts in the setup, such as pre-defining specific "user" key sequences to shorten the execution produce results that are only specific for the specific sequence of values entered in this benchmark. Adding shortcuts reminds me of CPU benchmark cheating (google it), where the machine recognizes the benchmark application to activate shortcuts and specific optimizations that aren't generally applied to other applications.

EDIT: corrected typo in "Eddie's blog post".

- Rob