Preference on typing a SquareRoot into an equation

[KristopherWindsor]

If you were using a small, text-based calculator that looked rather DOS-like, it only accepted input through the keyboard, and you wanted to add the Square Root symbol, would you rather type SQR into the equation, or press [Ctrl]+[R] to add the Square Root symbol?  

[KristopherWindsor]

Please vote, people. I know it is an almost pointless poll, but I am making a calculator!  

[Raptor]

I know a trick with the calculator that can make your PC stall!  

I'd like to type SQR, by the way. I think.

[Rob Pomeroy]

I'd like you to redesign my keyboard so that there's a square root symbol on it.

[Neil]

Does your calculator have a power feature? A square root is equivalent to a half power. That is 4 ^ 0.5 = 2

[KristopherWindsor]

It does use "^" for exponents, but I think Square Roots are so common, they deserve their own keyboard entry method.  

I know a trick with the calculator that can make your PC stall!

My calculator? I don't think it stalls.  :-? 8-)

P.S. 3 replies,only two votes??

[Raptor]

No, not yours. Unless you build in a scientific feature with the n! function. Try it, just type in another random number and press n! and watch your processor usage go through the roof.  

[Rob Pomeroy]

No, not yours. Unless you build in a scientific feature with the n! function. Try it, just type in another random number and press n! and watch your processor usage go through the roof.  

It's a doddle in Prolog...

I didn't vote because I would almost never use a text-mode calculator.  And for the very rare occasions when I do, I use bc on Linux.  And I have no idea what the function is for SQRT (although ^.5 would probably do it).

In short, I would look in the manual every time, so it wouldn't make any difference whether I had to type SQRT, hit Ctrl-R or dance the sailor's hornpipe dressed only in a pink feather boa whilst waggling my ears and reciting the entire works of Shakespeare backwards.  I'd just look in the manual and do what it told me.

[Raptor]

It's a doddle in Prolog...

sailor's hornpipe dressed only in a pink feather boa whilst waggling my ears and reciting the entire works of Shakespeare backwards.

What?  :-?

[Neil]

(although ^.5 would [highlight]probably[/highlight] do it).

You question my mathematical ability!!!!!!

[Neil]

dance the sailor's hornpipe dressed only in a pink feather boa whilst waggling my ears and reciting the entire works of Shakespeare backwards.

You didn't like the first Microsoft calculator either, eh?

[KristopherWindsor]

In short, I would look in the manual every time.

It's not necessarily just for the Square Root. For the Cosine, it would be "COS(" or [Ctrl]-[C]. Since many functions would use a similiar format, you shouldn't need to look at the help more than once. Then it depends wheather you like to press [Ctrl] or not.

No, not yours. Unless you build in a scientific feature with the n! function.

Mine has that. It can return 200! (although it is not fully accurate with such large numbers). But if you type 999999999999! it won't freeze!!   The variable that loops to solve this recursively is a 16-bit integer, so it at most loops to about 32,000. It can do that in less than a second, and just exits the loop with an error. It works and I hadn't even thought about that.  

And I have no idea what the function is for SQRT (although ^.5 would probably do it).

QBasic has a fast built-in Square Root function, which is one reason I think my calculator should.  

[Rob Pomeroy]

(although ^.5 would [highlight]probably[/highlight] do it).

You question my mathematical ability!!!!!!

No, I question whether that's the right sequence, because offhand I can't remember whether bc uses RPN (reverse Polish notation, in case anyone's wondering).

So touchy!