HP-10C series
Encyclopedia
The HP-10C series calculator
s were introduced by Hewlett-Packard
in 1981. Also known as the "Voyager" series, all are programmable
, use Reverse Polish Notation
, and feature continuous memory. Nearly identical in appearance, each model provided different capabilities and was aimed at different user markets.
The HP calculators
10C series consisted of five models (with original retail price and years of production):
The HP-12C remains in widespread use today.
calculator. It was such a successful model that Hewlett-Packard redesigned it from scratch, added several new functions, and introduced it as the HP-12C Platinum in 2003 and a limited 30th anniversary edition in 2011.
The HP-12C is HP's longest and best-selling product, in continual production since its introduction in 1981. Due to its simple operation for key financial calculations, the calculator long ago became the de facto standard among financial professionals – for example, most investment banks issue HP-12Cs to the members of each incoming class of its investment banking analysts and associates. Its popularity has endured despite the fact that even a simple, but iterative, process such as amortizing the interest
over the life of a loan—a calculation which modern spreadsheet
s can complete almost instantly—can take over a minute with the HP-12C. The 1977 October edition of the HP Journal contains an article by Roy Martin, the inventor of the simple method of operation used in HP financial calculators, which describes, in detail, the mathematics and functionality built by Prof William Kahan
(from UC Berkeley) and Roy Martin that is still in use today.
Later HP financial calculators are many times as fast with more functions, but none has been as successful. The HP-12C's programming mode is very intuitive and works like a macro operation on a computer. Basically, the keys one would press in the calculating mode to arrive at a solution are entered in the programming mode along with logical operators (if, and, etc.) applicable to the solution. After the programming is complete, the macro will run in computation mode to save the user steps and improve accuracy. There are 99 lines of programmable memory on the HP-12C, and 400 lines on the HP-12C Platinum.
Over its lifespan, the processor's technology has been redesigned to integrate all the circuitry into a single chip and to refresh the manufacturing process (as the foundry could no longer manufacture the necessary chips, having moved on to making higher-density chips). However, HP's market research found in the late 1980s that the users did not trust results obtained too quickly and so the CPU speed was never improved from the original 200 or so kHz. In the late 1990s, the CPU was changed to a 3V process and the battery was changed to a single 3V cell.
In 2008, HP modified the design so that new production runs contain an ARM
processor which runs an emulated version of previous chips. This has brought advanced possibilities such as flashing new firmware, not previously possible. HP also released a software development kit
(SDK), making it possible to make new and custom operating system
s. The calculator runs 20 times faster on most benchmark operations. This version is colloquially known as the HP-12C+ although HP does not market it as a different product.
The HP-12C is one of only four calculators permissible in the Chartered Financial Analyst
exams, the others being its sister, the HP-12C Platinum, and the Texas Instruments
BA II Plus and BA II Plus Professional
.
Often referred to as a tool for "Old-ie Time-ies," critics of the HP-12C claim its early 1980s technology and style are antiquated.
mode. There are two versions of the HP-12C Platinum. The early version did not have parentheses, which often led to awkward key sequences to solve problems in algebraic mode. Newer versions of the HP-12C Platinum have parentheses, on the blue-shifted functions of the STO and RCL keys.
In 2006, Hewlett Packard released a limited edition of the 12C Platinum to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original 12C introduction. The 25th anniversary model has the parentheses feature.
Hewlett Packard makes a HP-12C / HP-12C Platinum solutions book available as a PDF on their website.
. On September 1, 2011, HP announced that a limited edition 15C based on the ARM hardware used in the modern 12C would be released.
operations. This allows the calculator to emulate the programmer's computer. A number of specialized functions are provided to assist the programmer, including left- and right shifting, masking, and bitwise
logical operations. HP has (so far) never made another programmer's calculator, which would suggest that sales were poor. This is surprising considering the amount of mail the HP museum receives praising this model.
Prof William Kahan
, from UC Berkeley, the architect of the IEEE 754 standard for floating-point arithmetic, to design the numerical algorithms implemented by the calculators. He also wrote parts of the manuals.
, meaning that it can remember and later execute sequences of keystrokes to solve particular problems of interest to the user. These keystroke programs, in addition to performing any operation normally available on the keyboard, can also make use of conditional and unconditional branching and looping instructions, allowing programs to perform repetitive operations and make decisions.
The available programming features differentiate between the various HP 10c series calculator systems.
Step Key-code Display-code Comment
01 x> 02 1 1 Store 1 in x
03 LBL 0 43,22, 0 Label 0
04 I 45 32 Recall register I into x
05 * 20 Multiply x and y
06 DSZ 43 23 Decrement register I and skip
next instruction when I is 0
07 GTO 0 22 0 Goto label 0
08 R/S 31 Stop program - result displayed in x
To run the program enter the following keystrokes:
GTO .001 Set program counter to instruction 1
6 Enter n
R/S Calculate 6!
Result 720 is displayed when program terminates
, PalmPilot
s, PDAs
, and smartphone
s.
Calculator
An electronic calculator is a small, portable, usually inexpensive electronic device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic. Modern calculators are more portable than most computers, though most PDAs are comparable in size to handheld calculators.The first solid-state electronic...
s were introduced by Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
in 1981. Also known as the "Voyager" series, all are programmable
Programmable calculator
Programmable calculators are calculators that can automatically carry out a sequence of operations under control of a stored program, much like a computer. The first programmable calculators such as the IBM CPC used punched cards or other media for program storage...
, use Reverse Polish Notation
Reverse Polish notation
Reverse Polish notation is a mathematical notation wherein every operator follows all of its operands, in contrast to Polish notation, which puts the operator in the prefix position. It is also known as Postfix notation and is parenthesis-free as long as operator arities are fixed...
, and feature continuous memory. Nearly identical in appearance, each model provided different capabilities and was aimed at different user markets.
The HP calculators
HP calculators
HP calculators are various calculators manufactured by the Hewlett-Packard company over the years.- History :In the 1960s, Hewlett-Packard was becoming a diversified electronics company with product lines in electronic test equipment, scientific instrumentation, and medical electronics, and was...
10C series consisted of five models (with original retail price and years of production):
- HP-10C – basic scientific calculator. ($80 1982-1984)
- HP-11C – mid-range scientific calculator. ($135 1981-1989)
- HP-12C – business/financial calculator. ($150 1981-present)
- HP-15C – advanced scientific calculator. ($135 1982-1989, $100 2011)
- HP-16C – computer programmer's calculator. ($150 1982-1989)
The HP-12C remains in widespread use today.
HP-10C
The HP-10C is the last and lowest-featured calculator in this line, even though its number would suggest an earlier origin. The 10C was a basic scientific programmable. While a useful general purpose RPN calculator, the HP-11C offered twice as much for only a slight increase in price. Designed to be an introductory calculator, it was still costly compared to the competition, and many looking at an HP would just step up to the better HP-11C. Poor sales led to a very short market life.HP-12C
The HP-12C is a popular financialFinance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
calculator. It was such a successful model that Hewlett-Packard redesigned it from scratch, added several new functions, and introduced it as the HP-12C Platinum in 2003 and a limited 30th anniversary edition in 2011.
The HP-12C is HP's longest and best-selling product, in continual production since its introduction in 1981. Due to its simple operation for key financial calculations, the calculator long ago became the de facto standard among financial professionals – for example, most investment banks issue HP-12Cs to the members of each incoming class of its investment banking analysts and associates. Its popularity has endured despite the fact that even a simple, but iterative, process such as amortizing the interest
Interest
Interest is a fee paid by a borrower of assets to the owner as a form of compensation for the use of the assets. It is most commonly the price paid for the use of borrowed money, or money earned by deposited funds....
over the life of a loan—a calculation which modern spreadsheet
Spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper accounting worksheet. It displays multiple cells usually in a two-dimensional matrix or grid consisting of rows and columns. Each cell contains alphanumeric text, numeric values or formulas...
s can complete almost instantly—can take over a minute with the HP-12C. The 1977 October edition of the HP Journal contains an article by Roy Martin, the inventor of the simple method of operation used in HP financial calculators, which describes, in detail, the mathematics and functionality built by Prof William Kahan
William Kahan
William Morton Kahan is a mathematician and computer scientist who received the Turing Award in 1989 for "his fundamental contributions to numerical analysis", and was named an ACM Fellow in 1994....
(from UC Berkeley) and Roy Martin that is still in use today.
Later HP financial calculators are many times as fast with more functions, but none has been as successful. The HP-12C's programming mode is very intuitive and works like a macro operation on a computer. Basically, the keys one would press in the calculating mode to arrive at a solution are entered in the programming mode along with logical operators (if, and, etc.) applicable to the solution. After the programming is complete, the macro will run in computation mode to save the user steps and improve accuracy. There are 99 lines of programmable memory on the HP-12C, and 400 lines on the HP-12C Platinum.
Over its lifespan, the processor's technology has been redesigned to integrate all the circuitry into a single chip and to refresh the manufacturing process (as the foundry could no longer manufacture the necessary chips, having moved on to making higher-density chips). However, HP's market research found in the late 1980s that the users did not trust results obtained too quickly and so the CPU speed was never improved from the original 200 or so kHz. In the late 1990s, the CPU was changed to a 3V process and the battery was changed to a single 3V cell.
In 2008, HP modified the design so that new production runs contain an ARM
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
processor which runs an emulated version of previous chips. This has brought advanced possibilities such as flashing new firmware, not previously possible. HP also released a software development kit
Software development kit
A software development kit is typically a set of software development tools that allows for the creation of applications for a certain software package, software framework, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system, or similar platform.It may be something as simple...
(SDK), making it possible to make new and custom operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
s. The calculator runs 20 times faster on most benchmark operations. This version is colloquially known as the HP-12C+ although HP does not market it as a different product.
The HP-12C is one of only four calculators permissible in the Chartered Financial Analyst
Chartered Financial Analyst
The Chartered Financial Analyst Program is a graduate level self-study program offered by the CFA Institute to investment and financial professionals...
exams, the others being its sister, the HP-12C Platinum, and the Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
BA II Plus and BA II Plus Professional
Texas Instruments Business Analyst
The Texas Instruments Business Analyst series is a product line of financial calculators introduced in 1976. BA calculators provide time value of money functions and are widely used in accounting and other financial applications. Though originally designed specifically for financial use, current...
.
Often referred to as a tool for "Old-ie Time-ies," critics of the HP-12C claim its early 1980s technology and style are antiquated.
HP-12C Platinum
The HP-12C Platinum is a revision to the successful 12C. The 12C Platinum is visibly distinguished by its silver-colored upper half as opposed to the gold-colored plate on the original 12C. The Platinum has a faster processor, larger memory and more built-in functions. It allows input to be entered in algebraic mode as well as RPNReverse Polish notation
Reverse Polish notation is a mathematical notation wherein every operator follows all of its operands, in contrast to Polish notation, which puts the operator in the prefix position. It is also known as Postfix notation and is parenthesis-free as long as operator arities are fixed...
mode. There are two versions of the HP-12C Platinum. The early version did not have parentheses, which often led to awkward key sequences to solve problems in algebraic mode. Newer versions of the HP-12C Platinum have parentheses, on the blue-shifted functions of the STO and RCL keys.
In 2006, Hewlett Packard released a limited edition of the 12C Platinum to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original 12C introduction. The 25th anniversary model has the parentheses feature.
Hewlett Packard makes a HP-12C / HP-12C Platinum solutions book available as a PDF on their website.
HP-15C
The HP-15C is a high-end scientific programmable with a root-solver and numerical integration. It is able to handle complex numbers and matrix operations. Although out of production, its popularity has led to high prices of US$200–400 on the used market and a petition asking HP to restart production. The HP-15C was a replacement for the (LED Display based) HP-34CHP-34C
Part of the series of HP calculators. HP-34C Continuous Memory Calculator was an Advanced Scientific Programmable calculator that was differentiated by the fact that programs and storage were maintained in memory when the calculator was turned off , unlike most calculators of that time...
. On September 1, 2011, HP announced that a limited edition 15C based on the ARM hardware used in the modern 12C would be released.
HP-15C Limited Edition
The HP-15C Limited Edition is a reproduction of the 15C based on the modern ARM powered 12C hardware, released at the same time as the 30th Anniversary Edition HP-12C. This model is powered by 2 CR2032 batteries, and can easily be differentiated from original production run (1982-1989) 15Cs by the "Limited Edition" script below the HP 15C logo, and the black text on brushed metal back label, as opposed to the white text on black of the original.HP-16C
The HP-16C is a computer programmer's calculator, designed to assist in debugging. It can display numbers in hexadecimal, decimal, octal and binary, and convert numbers from one base to another. To accommodate long binary numbers, the display can be 'windowed' by shifting it left and right. For consistency with the computer the programmer is working with, the word size can be set to different values from 1 to 64 bits. Binary-arithmetic operations can be performed as unsigned, ones' complement, or two's complementTwo's complement
The two's complement of a binary number is defined as the value obtained by subtracting the number from a large power of two...
operations. This allows the calculator to emulate the programmer's computer. A number of specialized functions are provided to assist the programmer, including left- and right shifting, masking, and bitwise
Bitwise operation
A bitwise operation operates on one or more bit patterns or binary numerals at the level of their individual bits. This is used directly at the digital hardware level as well as in microcode, machine code and certain kinds of high level languages...
logical operations. HP has (so far) never made another programmer's calculator, which would suggest that sales were poor. This is surprising considering the amount of mail the HP museum receives praising this model.
Arithmetic
One of the least-known features of this calculator series is the quality of the arithmetic inside them. Hewlett-Packard retained the well-known numerical analystNumerical analysis
Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation for the problems of mathematical analysis ....
Prof William Kahan
William Kahan
William Morton Kahan is a mathematician and computer scientist who received the Turing Award in 1989 for "his fundamental contributions to numerical analysis", and was named an ACM Fellow in 1994....
, from UC Berkeley, the architect of the IEEE 754 standard for floating-point arithmetic, to design the numerical algorithms implemented by the calculators. He also wrote parts of the manuals.
Programming
The HP 10c series calculator are keystroke programmableKeystroke programmable
Keystroke programming describes a specific way of programming by which each keystrokes on a device or application is recorded in some way and then played back so that the recorded key-presses can be repeated multiple times...
, meaning that it can remember and later execute sequences of keystrokes to solve particular problems of interest to the user. These keystroke programs, in addition to performing any operation normally available on the keyboard, can also make use of conditional and unconditional branching and looping instructions, allowing programs to perform repetitive operations and make decisions.
The available programming features differentiate between the various HP 10c series calculator systems.
Programming example
Here is a sample program that computes the factorial of an integer number from 2 to 69. The program takes up 8 bytes. The example is based on the feature set and display codes of to the HP 16C.Step Key-code Display-code Comment
01 x> 02 1 1 Store 1 in x
03 LBL 0 43,22, 0 Label 0
04 I 45 32 Recall register I into x
05 * 20 Multiply x and y
06 DSZ 43 23 Decrement register I and skip
next instruction when I is 0
07 GTO 0 22 0 Goto label 0
08 R/S 31 Stop program - result displayed in x
To run the program enter the following keystrokes:
GTO .001 Set program counter to instruction 1
6 Enter n
R/S Calculate 6!
Result 720 is displayed when program terminates
Emulators
Several individuals and companies make software emulators of various HP 10C series calculators for Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PalmPilot
PalmPilot
The PalmPilot Personal and PalmPilot Professional are the second generation of Palm PDA devices produced by Palm Inc...
s, PDAs
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
, and smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s.
- All HP-10C series calculators
- nonpareil for Mac OS X
- hpcalc-iphone for the iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
- HP 12C
- HP 12C and 15C
- HP 15C
- HP-15C Simulator for Windows (2000 and following), Mac OS X (Intel) and Linux (x86)
- HP 16C
- Java HP16C Emulator
- HP 16C A Simulation
- HP16C Emulator for Windows