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This booklet is intended to help you to master your hp 39g+ calculator but is
also aimed at users of the hp 39g and hp 40g. These are very sophisticated
calculators, having more capabilities than a mainframe computer of the ’70s,
so don’t expect to come to grips with its abilities in one or two sessions.
However, if you persevere you will gain efficiency and confidence.
The majority of readers may only have used a Scientific calculator before so
explanations are as complete as possible. However it is not the purpose of
this book to teach mathematics so knowledge will be assumed. Those who
are already familiar with another brand or type, may find that a quick skim is
sufficient, perhaps with detailed reading of the “Tips and Tricks” sections.
The impact these calculators are having on the topics taught and even more,
the way they are taught is proving to be profound. The inventiveness and
flexibility of teachers of mathematics is being stretched to the limit as we
gradually change the face of teaching in the light of these machines.
For those concerned with the impact of a graphical calculator on the
‘fundamentals’ of mathematics, it should be recalled that the same fears were
held for scientific calculators when they were introduced earlier. History has
shown that these fears were generally groundless. Students are learning
topics in high school that their parents did not cover until university years. In
particular, the scientific calculator proved to be a great boon to students of
middle to lower ability in mathematics, relieving them of the burden of tedious
calculations and allowing them to concentrate on the concepts. This is also
the case with graphical calculators.
This manual is not intended to replace the one supplied with the calculator. It
fills in the holes, and also provides tips to make your work smother and more
confident. Happy calculating.
About the author
Colin Croft is a teacher at St. Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls in Perth,
Western Australia. Colin has worked extensively with Hewlett Packard on the
graphic calculator family of which the hp 39g+ is a member, and was part of
the team which created the hp 39g & hp 40g in 2000. He maintains an
extensive website of material for the hp 39g/40g/39g+ series called The HP
Home view, at http://www.hphomeview.com.