Scientific Notation Display Format - HP 12C Platinum Owner's Handbook Manual

72 Section 5: Additional Operating Features
Keystrokes Display
f4
14.8746
f1
14.9
f0
15.
f9
14.87456320
The standard display format, plus the specified number of decimal places,
remain in effect until you change them; they are not reset each time the
calculator is turned on. However, if Continuous Memory is reset, when the
calculator is next turned on numbers will be displayed in the standard display
format with two decimal places shown.
If a calculated answer is either too small or too large to be displayed in the
standard display format, the display format automatically switches to scientific
notation (described below). The display returns to the standard display format
for all numbers that can be displayed in that format.

Scientific Notation Display Format

S i g n o f m a n t i s s a
In scientific notation, a number is displayed with its mantissa at the left and a
two-digit exponent at the right. The mantissa is simply the first seven digits in
the number, and has a single, nonzero digit to the left of the decimal point. The
exponent is simply how many decimal places you would move the decimal point
in the mantissa before writing down the number in standard format. If the
exponent is negative (that is, there is a minus sign between it and the mantissa),
the decimal point should be moved to the left; this occurs for any number less
than 1. If the exponent is positive (that is, there is a blank space between it and
the mantissa), the decimal point should be moved to the right; this occurs for any
number greater than or equal to 1.
Although nine decimal places were
specified after f, only eight are
displayed since the display can
show a total of only 10 digits.
- d i g i t m a n t i s s a E x p o n e n t o f 1 0
S i g n o f e x p o n e n t