20/3*2= should give 13.3333..
20/3^2= should give 2.22222..
 
The ^ should be evaluated before the / giving 20/3^2 = 20/9 = 2.2222..
your result shows it is also calculating in the wrong order giving this (20/3)^2 = 44.4444..

Karyn
20/3*2= should give 13.3333..
20/3^2= should give 2.22222..
 
The ^ should be evaluated before the / giving 20/3^2 = 20/9 = 2.2222..
your result shows it is also calculating in the wrong order giving this (20/3)^2 = 44.4444..

Oooppppppssss ... user error! The world famous UE.
 
Make sure you test it well, because you will get laughed off the place badly. Video it too!

It's the new math.

Usually the problem is between the keyboard and the chair...

Are you sure you don't just have fat fingers??
 
J

Karyn
20/3*2= should give 13.3333..
20/3^2= should give 2.22222..
 
The ^ should be evaluated before the / giving 20/3^2 = 20/9 = 2.2222..
your result shows it is also calculating in the wrong order giving this (20/3)^2 = 44.4444..

Dang... I feel really ignorant now. I think I use a different side of my brain from the one that does math... seriously.
 
J

Maybe it is a new variant of the HP reverse Polish notation calculator … the ones where you enter the data in a stack and then perform the operation.  It could be utilizing some sort of reverse Coffee House notation where the calculator randomly ascribes different operations to different keys.

Go buy them all, fast!
They'll be collectors items in twenty years!

An update: I finally took the calculator back to Staples and was able to demonstrate the problem to an initially bemused cashier. She then gave me her own Staples calculator (a different model) to try, and it had the same problem. So then we got 2 more Staples calculators off the shelf and tried those - same problem! I appear to have found a bug which affects the whole range of Staples calculators. I shall email them and let them know...in the meantime however, I bought a little Sharp from Best Buy and it works great.

I think it's funny that something that's only meant to do ONE thing can't even do that one thing correctly - lol!