Strange Calculator

the calculator I use frequently does some strange stuff. One of the things I like about it is that it will preserve what you punched into it briefly, serving like a paper tape to some degree. So I use it for menial things like calculating sums.

It will seek to find strange stuff as it calculates. This morning I added 4 numbers together to get a sum, those being

35.4 + 13.3 + 60.7 + 3

as the calculator gives me the answer, it sticks in the middle of where it preserves your input " = 562/5 "

in other words with my input only the added numbers, I get:

35.4 + 13.3 + 60.7 + 3 = 562/5 = 112.4

Pretty neat, but who decided to put that in the software? And is converting the numbers to 562/5 really what the calculator is doing? I always thought it was heavy into logarithms for its functions.

It's http://web2.0calc.com/

I used to use that on-line scientific calculator, but I switched to this one:

http://www.picalc.com/

The reason I switched is, for some reason, if I go to copy/paste your equation:

35.4 + 13.3 + 60.7 + 3

Into the one you use, it will display in there as dim and will not do anything. Ultimately, I would end up having to type in every single equation I wanted to do, whereas the one I use now allows you to copy/paste equations in, with or without spaces.

I have no idea what would cause it to convert into 562/5 and then come to 112.4. I could understand it if it first came to 112.4 and then converted to 562/5, because then it would be giving you a whole number as a numerator. I have no idea what would cause it to do that first, though.

365.2 + 156.9 + 32.1 = 2771/5 = 554.2

365.3 + 122 + 489 - 10 = 9663/10 = 966.3

I'll try the other calculator for a while.

It appears the one I've used sees everything as an equation, and also every number as a fraction, seeking a common denominator. Odd or not?

The reason I always thought calculators use logarithms alot is I use specially tailored online calc. for my checkbook balances. [told that to someone and she said "people still balance their checkbooks?" - that was funny and sobering at the same time] Anyway some of them would give the incorrect answer by one cent sometimes. That made me think they use logarithms, otherwise wth is going on with that? No errors like that with the scientific one I have been using.

PS: for checkbooks I like this one:

http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/financial/checkbookbalance.php

no such errors

Quote: odiousgambit

I'll try the other calculator for a while.

I like it, there are a few quirky things here and there, but it is easy to figure out what it wants.

Quote:

It appears the one I've used sees everything as an equation, and also every number as a fraction, seeking a common denominator. Odd or common?

Right, but the problem is that it doesn't. 60.7*5 = 303.5 13.3 * 5 = 66.5 35.4 * 5 = 177

It could be doing: 607/10 + 133/10 + 354/10 + 30/10 = 1124/10 = 562/5 = 112.4 but even that makes no sense. Using a denominator of 10 would be the quickest way to turn them all into whole numbers, and then it could be reducing that down into the simplest possible fraction, then dividing, but why?

Let's try this:

144.57 + 344.12 + 897.3 + 6:

144.57 + 344.12 + 897.3 + 6 = 1391.99

Okay, that time it just gave me the answer, straight-up. I think the calculator may be messing with us.

Quote:

The reason I always thought calculators use logarithms alot is I use specially tailored online calc. for my checkbook balances. [told that to someone and she said "people still balance their checkbooks?" - that was funny and sobering at the same time] Anyway some of them would give the incorrect answer by one cent sometimes. That made me think they use logarithms, otherwise wth is going on with that? No errors like that with the scientific one I have been using.

I'll take a look at that checkbook calculator, but I don't really balance my checkbook, either. I have a few hundred that I keep in there, and other than that, I just deposit exactly what is going to come out.