1. hackerguy's Avatar
    Only if you don't understand what you're looking at. Let me give an example that might be more clear.

    Order of operations. In grade-school it's taught using the acronym BEDMAS. Brackets, Exponents, Division/Multiplications, Addition/Subtraction. That's the order in which you process a written math task.

    So if I ask you what's 3 + 1 * 2, the correct answer is 5. You do the 1 * 2 part first, getting 2. Then you do the 3 + 2 part, resulting in 5.

    Most calculators take the order that you type things in, which would give you an answer of 8, which is wrong. Some calculators are designed to let you enter things as a string of instructions and they will then execute the equation in the proper sequence. For bonus fun, Google "Reverse Polish Notation".

    Most cheap calculators assume the operator is a clueless schleb. The percent operator (key) does what you think it should do; take the current displayed number and manipulate it as a faction of the previous displayed number. X + Y% means "take X, and add Y% of X to X".

    The correct mathematical or engineering function of the percent operator is to simply divide the displayed number by 100, turning a number expressed as a percentage into its correct definition. Understand 10% is .10 not any other value. Similarly 37% is .37, not any other value. "100 + 10%" is 100.10, not any other value.

    The layman means to ask for "100 + 10% * 100" but has no clue how to express themselves. Because the vast majority of people can only dimly recall grade 4 math (because evidently anything more complicated than addition is "too hard" and "too useless") but remember which season of American Idol Clay Aitken came in 2nd place during, calculators made for the masses assume cluelessness.

    End result: the Playbook's calculator assumes you know what you're doing. The other tested calculators, including the standard BB calculator assume you're about 8 years old, at least mentally.

    This is only annoying because you're bumping into one of the many parts of reality that involve Knowing Something, where "Something" isn't which running-back had the most rushing pass-yard interception shots-on-goal batting-average 3-point mid-court slam-dunk penalty-minute mistresses (to include Golf).
    I can only admire your patience for being willing to explain this in such detail. You must be (or should be) a teacher.
    02-26-12 05:55 PM
  2. kjic13's Avatar
    An option in the dropdown menu would be nice to switch from accounting to scientific to basic calculator modes on the fly. While I need the scientific version of the calculator I completely understand and respect the fact that others are accustomed to the more traditional (and possibly more natural?) version that makes assumptions for them. It's all a matter of necessity. I'd like to see the option to toggle between modes myself.
    rickgainsmith likes this.
    02-26-12 05:59 PM
  3. FF22's Avatar
    Am I having deja vu? Seems there was a thread about this awhile back.
    Nope. You are hallucinating.

    If I calculate correctly, it was done at least twice before.

    Always the same arguments. Always comparisons to other calculators.

    At this point I'm thoroughly versed in the issue. The last time I even googled "how to use the % key on calculators"

    I understand the confusion. But in my weak, old mind, I always read it as

    100+ 10% (and then I always ask 10% of WHAT??)

    Continue the discussion and do not try any of this at home!
    joski likes this.
    02-26-12 06:01 PM
  4. hackerguy's Avatar
    Yeah, it has been a slow news day here too!
    02-26-12 06:07 PM
  5. byul's Avatar
    So much fuss on just a calculator! fun fun!^^
    hackerguy likes this.
    02-26-12 06:08 PM
  6. JamesDax3's Avatar
    It's really simple. If you look at your calculator as you are entering things on most calculater when you do 100 + 10 then hit the % key nothing happens the screen reads 100+10 and you hit = you get 110. But if you look at the PB calculator and you do 100 + 10 then hit the % key the screen reads 100+10% thus when you hit = the answer is 100.1
    02-26-12 06:16 PM
  7. RetroAndreas's Avatar
    If you try the scientific calculator 10E app on the blackberry phone, it will give you 100.1
    The flaws in the BBOS calculator was one of the reasons why the app was created.
    You weren't wrong in your calculations either in all honesty, the calculator was just dumb
    I have the 10C SE scientific calc from Lygea on my 9900 and the awesome 30 year old HP 12C financial calculator(RPN). Both give 100 + 10% as 110.
    02-26-12 06:24 PM
  8. Andrew4life's Avatar
    I think we can agree that Google is always right?

    Well, type in "100+10%" and you will get:

    100 + (10%) = 100.1
    Tada!!

    Yes, it's true, some calculators assume 10% = 0.1, some calculators will assume you mean that it's 10% of the previous number.

    Best solution is to never -u-me. Put in the correct formula.

    100*110%

    or

    100+ (100*10%)

    Either way, you'll never have to worry about if your calculator is going to assume 10%=0.1 or if it assumes that it is 10% of the previous number.

    CASE CLOSED
    02-26-12 06:36 PM
  9. TheScionicMan's Avatar
    % was just a lazy way of saying xx/100. To use it in an equation is nonsensical...
    02-26-12 06:39 PM
  10. Tomcat_Alley's Avatar
    10% = 0.1 (unless its stated that its 10% of a specific value, unless specifically stated its 10% of the base value, which is 1)

    so 100 + 10% is 100.1

    but 100 + (10% of 100) is 110

    Case closed
    02-26-12 07:14 PM
  11. RetroAndreas's Avatar
    10% = 0.1 (unless its stated that its 10% of a specific value, unless specifically stated its 10% of the base value, which is 1)
    Dat be correct.
    02-26-12 07:17 PM
  12. RodrigoLuz's Avatar
    Simple... PLAYBOOK IS WRONG!!!

    A incredible 2 cores CPU with high end hardware and... My God!

    RIM, please don�t do this to me. Please don�t force me to buy an iPhone or Android.

    PLEAAASE!!!
    02-26-12 07:21 PM
  13. pinkert11's Avatar
    People it is 100.10, all of your other calculators are programed to make up for human error. I run into things like this all the time as I write sales and data reports and people try to run them by their crappy calculators. Can we all agree to try it in excel, a program most have that is made to run math correctly. Blaim Texas Instruments for implementing calculators that re-thing simple equations that people enter incorrectly.

    Take a look - capture one is showing same as playbook and is correct. Capture two is the correct math, and is what your simplified calculators are interpreting what your input aught to be.
    Tomcat_Alley likes this.
    02-26-12 07:36 PM
  14. Morten's Avatar
    I'm no mathematics teacher but try this on the PlayBook calculator.

    100 + 10%.

    Or even 100 - 10%.
    that's not how you do calculations... 100 *1.10 would give the (+10%) result ...

    "%" means "parts per hundred"... so 10% is correctly 0.10
    Last edited by Lindstrom; 02-26-12 at 08:16 PM.
    02-26-12 08:13 PM
  15. silversun10's Avatar
    just use the calculator the way it works, don't be a moron
    02-26-12 08:36 PM
  16. rickgainsmith's Avatar
    One has to be wrong. Using the exact keys.

    9860 = 110.00
    PlayBook = 100.10

    I understand there is a place for the scientific calculator. The PlayBook has one also, but I'm comparing Basic to Basic, Basic 9860 (plus every calculator I have at work) to the Basic PlayBook Calculator.

    Nuff Said.
    02-26-12 08:39 PM
  17. JamesDax3's Avatar
    Simple... PLAYBOOK IS WRONG!!!

    A incredible 2 cores CPU with high end hardware and... My God!

    RIM, please don�t do this to me. Please don�t force me to buy an iPhone or Android.

    PLEAAASE!!!
    Playbook is right. 100+10% = 100+.1 = 100.1
    02-26-12 08:43 PM
  18. Morten's Avatar
    Playbook is right. 100+10% = 100+.1 = 100.1
    Yepp - PB is mathematically correct.
    02-26-12 08:45 PM
  19. rickgainsmith's Avatar
    Playbook is right. 100+10% = 100+.1 = 100.1
    So our BlackBerry Phones are wrong then? Even though it gives me the correct answer I am wanting. ;-)

    LOL This is going nowhere fast.

    In regards to this thread being posted before, is anyone else finding it impossible to search the forum using the PlayBook? The menu that opens when you tap Search closes when the keyboard opens.

    Mods, please shorten the height of the drop down thus preventing the keyboard from closing it. Cheers.
    02-26-12 08:50 PM
  20. JamesDax3's Avatar
    So our BlackBerry Phones are wrong then? Even though it gives me the correct answer I am wanting. ;-)

    LOL This is going nowhere fast.

    In regards to this thread being posted before, is anyone else finding it impossible to search the forum using the PlayBook? The menu that opens when you tap Search closes when the keyboard opens.

    Mods, please shorten the height of the drop down thus preventing the keyboard from closing it. Cheers.
    Not exactly. The bb phones are doing 100+10% of 100 = 100+10 = 110

    Look at how the calculator shows the equation. On the playbook it. Clearly shows 100+10%. Other devices show 100+10. See the difference?
    pinkert11 likes this.
    02-26-12 08:58 PM
  21. rickgainsmith's Avatar
    From @MichaelClewley (RIM)
    @RickGainsmith surprisingly was only pointed out just before 2.0 launch.Its using a scientific engine for calcs.Google or excel yield same

    So RIM already knows its using the Sci Engine and not the basic engine that is used on the Phones and simpler calculators.
    02-26-12 09:19 PM
  22. rewandy5's Avatar
    Not knowing how your tools work will make a person look foolish ;p
    02-26-12 11:09 PM
  23. rickgainsmith's Avatar
    Not knowing how your tools work will make a person look foolish ;p
    Whatever...
    02-27-12 01:28 AM
  24. bounce007's Avatar
    Whew, thank God my first degree is Mathematics or I would probably look like an id��t like some of you in this thread... Wait, nope, I still probably wouldn't look like an id��t
    Last edited by bounce007; 02-27-12 at 11:23 AM.
    02-27-12 09:17 AM
  25. Anguish's Avatar
    So our BlackBerry Phones are wrong then? Even though it gives me the correct answer I am wanting. ;-)

    LOL This is going nowhere fast.
    It's only going nowhere fast because you aren't progressing. Go read my post (#19) in this thread. I didn't write it for my own education; I already understand the situation.

    Ignorance isn't cool.
    02-27-12 12:25 PM
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