When Calculators lie will anyone notice?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the reliability of calculators and the tendency of users to trust their outputs without question. It touches on historical errors in computing hardware, particularly the Pentium FDIV error, and explores the implications of calculator inaccuracies in educational contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants reference a study indicating that people often trust calculators blindly, even when they produce incorrect results.
  • Historical examples of computing errors, such as the Pentium FDIV error, are discussed, with some participants recalling the impact of these errors on business calculations.
  • There is a debate about the existence and functionality of the 80487 coprocessor, with differing recollections about its performance and issues.
  • Participants mention common mistakes made by students when using calculators, such as confusing radians and degrees.
  • Some participants express nostalgia for RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) calculators, sharing personal experiences and preferences for their use over standard calculators.
  • Several participants recommend various calculator apps, discussing their features and usability.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the reliability of calculators and the historical context of computing errors. There is no clear consensus on the implications of these issues or the best practices for calculator use.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific historical computing errors and personal anecdotes, but the discussion does not resolve the accuracy of these memories or the implications for current calculator use.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to educators, students in STEM fields, and individuals interested in the history of computing technology and its impact on learning and accuracy in calculations.

  • #31
Postscript uses RPN - probably because it's meant to be implemented on fairly low-end hardware and mostly written by other programs.
 
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  • #32
Emacs also includes an RPN calculator (calc) in its standard distribution. I haven't really used it but the feature list seems quite impressive for a package included in what is ostensibly a text editor.
 
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  • #33
I tend to fire up python on linux and type in my expression to get a quick answer.
 
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  • #34
As long as people are prone to make errors using the tiny keyboards on calculators, there will be some distrust in the answers - just because they may be answers to the wrong calculations. If a simpler interface is developed, the answers are more likely to be taken for granted.

...just as people who compose text messages by talking aloud tend to think they are writing what they intend!
 

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