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Let’s begin by looking at the fundamentals - the layout of the keyboard and the positions of the important keys
used frequently. The sketch below shows most of the important keys. As can be seen on the previous pages,
the keyboards for the hp 39gs and hp 40gs are exactly the same except for the different color schemes.
These keys are the ones which control the operation of the calculator – most others are simply used to do
calculations once the important keys have set up the environment to do it in.
These six screen keys change their
function in different contexts. The bar
at the bottom of the screen labels
them. Check this bar for special
functions in any given context.
The
SYMB
key nearly
always takes you to a
view in which you can
enter equations.
The
PLOT
key displays the
graph view for any given
environment.
HOME
is where you will do
most of your calculations. It is
shared by all the aplets and
oversees them all.
The
NUM
key gives you a
tabular view of your function,
sequence or data.
These are the arrow keys.
They let you move within a
screen.
The
VIEWS
key gives a
different menu in each aplet.
It can be very useful, and is
always worth checking.
The
APLET
key is central. This
key allows you to choose which
mathematical environment you
wish to work in.
The
ALPHA
key accesses
the alphabetical chars
below most buttons.
The
SHIFT
key accesses
the extra functions above
most buttons.
Examples of the effects of each of these keys and
many more are shown on the pages that follow.
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