Programming with the Radio Shack EC-4004
(Another milestone: this is blog #600! I can't thank you all enough!)
To see my retro review of this calculator I did two years
ago, click here:
The Radio Shack EC-4004 calculator’s programming mode is
AOS (algebraic operating system). Rarely
you see a calculator with AOS any more (think the Casio fx-260 and Texas
Instruments TI-30A), but it used to be prominent operating system with
RPN. In AOS, the uniary functions
(trigonometric, logarithmic, factorial, for example) are entered after you enter the number. Hence:
14 [ln] calculates ln(14) ≈ 2.639057329.
The storage of the EC-4004 is a mere 38 steps which can
be distributed into two program slots.
That is not a lot. Furthermore,
if you enter numeric constants, each digit counts a step. Remember, the display does NOT display the
key, so be careful when entering programs. There are a few program commands:
RTN ([INV] [ 9 ]):
Returns program control the first step (beginning).
X ≤ M ([INV] [ 8 ]):
If the display is less than or equal to M, return to the first
step. Otherwise, go to the next step.
X > 0 ([INV] [ 7 ]): If the display is greater than 0,
return to the first step. Otherwise, go
to the next step.
ENT ([RUN] in learn mode): Prompt for a number. The next step is to put a “placeholder”
number as long as it will be valid in calculations. Since each digit counts as a step, try to use
placeholder numbers like 0, 1, or 2. I’m
not sure if the placeholder number is merged with ENT. You can instead, use Kin or Min to store the
entry in memory.
HLT ([INV] [RUN]): Halts the program to display immediate
results. Think of it as the PAUSE
command.
X<>K ([INV] [Kout]): Exchange with a memory register. The EC-4004 has six memory registers, plus
one additional independent memory register (M).
[Kin] and [Kout] is your store and recall, respectively.
On to the list of sample programs! Anything after double slashes (\\) is a
comment. The hashtag (#) stands for placeholder number.
Area of a Regular
Polygon
Formula:
(n*s^2)/(4*tan(180°/n)), n = number of sides, s = side length
MODE, 4 \\ sets
Degree mode
ENT \\ prompt for n
# \\ enter a
placeholder number
Min \\ store in M
*
ENT \\ prompt for s
# \\ placeholder
number
X^2
÷
(
4
*
(
180
÷
MR \\ recall n
)
TAN
)
=
Test 1: n = 6, s =
2.6, result 17.56299519
Test 2: n = 10, s
= 3.87, result 115.2353964
Sum of f(x)
In particular, Σ x^2 + 1 from x = 1 to M. M is the upper limit. You can adapt this to include any f(x), but
remember you’ll only have 26 steps to work with for f(x). Your variable for f(x) is register 1 (use
[Kout], 1)
Before running, store the upper limit minus 1 in M, 0 in both registers 1 and
2. (0, [ Kin ], 1; [ Kin ], 2). Register 1 is your counter, register 2 is
your sum. In Summary:
M = upper limit – 1, Register 1 = 0, Register 2 = 0
Kout 1 \\ recall
register 1 and add one
+
1
=
Kin 1
X^2 \\ f(x) starts here
+
1
= \\ end f(x)
with equals
+ \\ add result
to register 2
Kout 2
=
Kin 2
Kout 1 \\ put register 1 in the display
X≤M \\ is X≤M? If
so, go to the beginning
Kout 2 \\ display sum
Test 1: If the
upper limit is 5, store 4 in M.
Result: 60
Test 2: If the
upper limit is 8, store 7 in M.
Result: 212
Payment of a Loan
(with no balloon)
Formula: PMT = PV /
((1 – (1 + r)^-n)/r)
Store the following amounts before running:
K1 = PV, present value or loan amount
K2 = n, number of payments. Example: For 30 years for monthly payments,
store 360 in K2.
K3 = r, periodic interest rate as a decimal. Example: For 6% compounded monthly, enter
0.06/12 in K3.
Kout 1 \\ recall PV
÷
(
(
1
-
(
1
+
Kout 3 \\ recall r
)
X^Y
Kout 2 \\ recall n
+/-
)
÷
Kout 3
)
=
Test 1: K1 =
200,000, K2 = 360, K3 = 0.055/12.
Result: 1,135.58
Test 2: K1 =
234,000, K2 = 360, K3 = 0.038/12.
Result: 1,090.34
Easy Traverse
Calculation
Calculates the new point knowing the original coordinates,
direction, and angle of travel. The
angle 0° comes from due east and rotates counterclockwise (see diagram
below).
Store before hand:
K1 = original coordinate easting (E, x)
K2 = original coordinate northing (N, y)
Distance is stored in K3 and angle is stored K4. At the completion of the program, the new
coordinates are stored in K1 and K2, respectively, to allow chain calculations.
MODE 4 \\ degrees mode
Kout 1
+
ENT \\ prompt for distance
# \\ placeholder number
Kin 3
*
ENT \\ prompt for angle
# \\ placeholder number
Kin 4
COS
=
Kin 1
HLT \\ display new easting coordinate
Kout 2
+
Kout 3
*
Kout 4
SIN
=
Kin 2 \\ display new northing coordinate
Test: E0 =
10,000, N0 = 10,000
Given distance = 110, angle = 126°, E1 ≈ 9,935.343, N1 ≈ 10,088.992
Continuing,
Given distance = 150, angle = 30°, E2 ≈ 10,065.247, N2 ≈ 10,163.992
Measuring Dew
Point (in degrees Celsuis)
W = 237.3 * V/(1 – V)
V = (ln H + (17.27*C)/(237.3+C))/17.27
Where:
H = relative humidity, store as a decimal (Example: for 55.8% store 0.558 in K1)
C = temperature in degrees Celsius
Store before hand:
H in register 1 (K1), C in register 2 (K2).
This program illustrates a perfect example of the effect
of the limited programming space. During
the calculation, 17.27 and 237.3 are stored in K3 and K4, respectively to save
program space. And believe me, we’ll
need every bit of it.
Kout 1 \\ H
LN
+
17.27
Kin 3
*
Kout 2 \\ C
÷
(
237.3
Kin 4
+
Kout 2
)
=
÷
Kout 3
Min // store V in M
*
Kout 4
÷
(
1
-
MR
)
=
Remember K1 = H, K2 = C
Test 1: H = 51%
(0.51), C = 27°C, Result ≈ 16.0003°C
Test 2: H = 46%
(0.46), C = 85°F = 29.44444444°C, Result ≈ 16.6110°C
Chebyshev
Polynomial of the First Kind, for -1<x<1
ENT \\ prompt for x
# \\ placeholder
number
COSˉ¹
*
ENT \\ prompt for n
# \\ placeholder
number
=
COS
Test 1: T_2(0.25)
= -0.875 (x = 0.25, n = 2)
Test 2: T_3(-0.68)
= 0.782272 (x = -0.68, n = 3)
That is a small collection of programs for the
EC-4004. If you want me to do more, let
me know. Until then, have a great day
everyone and stay safe!
Eddie
This blog is property of Edward Shore, 2016
