HP 20S Advanced Guide?

[Eddie W. Shore]

It's amazing how HP managed to do a 3 x 3 linear system solver with only 10 memory registers and only 99 steps.

I think the program automatically stops when the last step is reached and goes back to step 00.

Does anyone know if an Advanced guide for the HP 20S was ever released?

[carey]

(11-18-2024 12:20 AM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  It's amazing how HP managed to do a 3 x 3 linear system solver with only 10 memory registers and only 99 steps.

I think the program automatically stops when the last step is reached and goes back to step 00.

Does anyone know if an Advanced guide for the HP 20S was ever released?

While an additional guide (Step-by-Step Solutions: Science Student Applications) was published in 1988 for the HP-22S, I haven't heard of any additional manuals (e.g., an Advanced guide) for the HP-20S.

Despite lack of programmability (with Equation entry/solving replacing programming), the HP-22S appears to have received more attention from HP than the HP-20S (there's even a Grapevine Publication: An Easy Course in using the HP-22S). Perhaps this is related to the sad programming model of the HP-20S where loading a program from its built-in program library erases user programs due to resource constraints. With 256 byte RAM, 10K ROM, and a 7 segment display, the HP-20S was a low-end Pioneer, while the HP-22S was a middle tier model (512 byte RAM, 16K ROM, and dot-matrix display -- the same specs as the HP-32S and HP-32Sii).

I hope someone has information about an HP-20S guidebook more advanced than the owner's manual, but given the HP-20S' limitations, I'd be surprised if one was ever published.

[AnnoyedOne]

(11-18-2024 12:20 AM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  Does anyone know if an Advanced guide for the HP 20S was ever released?

To my knowledge there is no HP-20S AFH. The printed and PDF manual I have is edition 5 from 1992. I also have a low quality B&W scan of edition 6. I haven't seen any differences.

The 20S is pretty much ignored here and elsewhere. You won't find out much about it. It is algebraic and a lowly "student" model so...

Not rare but not really common either. Not "collectible".

Small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket but the classic portrait shape and not landscape like the Voyagers.

Mine is an early US made version. From my research later ones were made in other countries and can have a lower build quality. Mine is nice. Comparable to my Voyagers. Not a "plastic fantastic".

A1