Getting started

1.1The screen and its parts#

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1. Display: entries and answers, with the F-key bar along the bottom
2. F1 to F6: run the labels shown on the bottom bar
3. SHIFT: gold functions
4. ALPHA: red letters
5. OPTN: option menus
6. MENU: the MAIN MENU
7. EXIT: back out
8. X,θ,T: the variable of the current app
9. EXE: calculate or confirm

Run-Matrix shows your earlier entries and answers, with the entry line at the bottom. A status line records the settings in force. The bottom bar shows up to six labels that line up with the F keys.

1.2The MAIN MENU and its apps#

Press MENU to open the MAIN MENU. Move with the arrow keys and press EXE, or press an app's number.

Example 1.1

Open an app with its number

1. Press MENU, then 4 for Table.

   MENU4

Example 1.2

Move with the arrows

1. Press MENU, then the right arrow.

   MENU▶

1.3The F keys and the soft-key bar#

The six keys F1 to F6 do whatever the bar at the bottom of the screen says. The bar changes with the app and with what you are doing. Some labels open another bar; press EXIT to go back one bar. A label with ▷ means there is a second page: press F6 to see it.

With SHIFT the F keys run the gold commands printed above them: TRACE, ZOOM, V-WIN, SKETCH, G-SOLV and G⇔T. These are used in the Graph app.

1.4The SHIFT and ALPHA layers#

The gold label above a key is used after SHIFT. The red label above a key is used after ALPHA and types a variable letter A to Z, θ, an equals sign, or i. Each press lasts for one key. SHIFTA-LOCKALPHA turns on A-LOCK, which keeps the letter layer on until you press ALPHA again.

Example 1.3

Use the SHIFT layer

1. SHIFT then the x² key gives a square root template; type 8 and press EXE.

   SHIFT√x²8EXE

Example 1.4

Lock the letter layer

1. Press SHIFT ALPHA to lock, then type two letters.

   SHIFTA-LOCKALPHAX,θ,Tlog

1.5Your first calculation#

Type the calculation as you would write it and press EXE. The calculator follows the usual order of operations. Answers appear on the right, and exact answers (fractions, roots, π) are kept.

Example 1.5

Brackets and order

1. Type (2 + 3) × 4 and press EXE.

   (2+3)×4EXE

See also Calculations in Run-Matrix: Order of operations and negatives

1.6Clear, delete, edit and recall#

• AC/ON clears the entry line.
• DEL deletes the character before the cursor.
• ◀ and ▶ move the cursor. Inside a fraction, power or root, ▲ and ▼ move between boxes and ▶ steps out.
• On an empty line, ▲ brings back the previous entries one at a time so you can edit and run them again.
• Start a line with an operator and the previous answer is inserted as Ans.
• F2 (DEL-H) in the Run-Matrix bar clears the whole history.

Example 1.6

Delete a digit

1. Type 123, delete the 3, press EXE.

   123DELEXE

Example 1.7

Recall an entry

1. Calculate 2 + 3 and 7, then go up twice and run again.

   2+3EXE7EXE▲▲EXE

Example 1.8

Continue from the last answer

1. Calculate 3, then multiply by 4.

   3EXE×4EXE

Example 1.9

Clear the history

1. Calculate 5, then F2 (DEL-H).

   5EXEF2

1.7Use a laptop keyboard#