RPN: Solving T * w + Z = Y * w + X (featuring DM42, HP 67)

RPN:   Solving T * w + Z = Y * w + X  (featuring DM42, HP 67)

Introduction and Code

This is inspired in part by the new Casio fx-92 being released where it has added the linear equation:

ax + b = cx + d

( https://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=280173&sid=2174c3a99692ac8898ff3957db84031a#p280173 (in French), retrieved February 6, 2026)

Solve the equation for w:

T * w + Z = Y * w + X

where the solution is w = (Z – X) ÷ (Y – T)

The values for T, Z, Y, and X are taken directly from the four-level classic RPN stack.

HP 42S/DM42/HP 41C (programmed with a DM42) Code

LBL “TZYX1”

x<>y

R↓

-

R↓

-

R↑

x<>y

÷

RTN

HP 67 Code

001: LBL A; 31, 25, 11

002: x<>y; 35, 52

003: R↓; 35, 53

004: -; 51

005: R↓; 35, 53

006: -; 51

007: R↑; 35, 54

008: x<>y; 35, 52

009: ÷; 81

010: RTN; 35, 52

Stack Results:

Start	Finish
T	Z - X
Z	Z - X
Y	Y
X	(Z – X) ÷ (Y – T) = W (solution)

Examples

Example 1: 5 * w + 20 = 10 * w + 30

T: 5

Z: 20

Y: 10

X: 30

Solution: w = -2

Example 2: 3 * w – 18 = -2 * w + 16

T: 3

Z: -18

Y: -2

X: 16

Solution: w = 6.8

Example 3: 5 * w + 3 = w + 2

T: 5

Z: 3

Y: 1

X: 2

Solution: w = -0.25

Eddie

All original content copyright, © 2011-2026. Edward Shore. Unauthorized use and/or unauthorized distribution for commercial purposes without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. This blog entry may be distributed for noncommercial purposes, provided that full credit is given to the author.

Solving Simple Arcsine and Arccosine Equations

 Solving Simple Arcsine and Arccosine Equations

Angle Measure

This document will focus on angle measurement in degrees. For radians and grads, please use the appropriate measurement.

90° = π/2 rad = 100 grad

180° = π rad = 200 grad

Simple Arcsine Equations

The calculator arcsine function gives: Domain: -1 ≤ x ≤ 1, Range: -90° ≤ Θ ≤ 90°

Note that for any angle x: sin(180° - x) = sin(x), sin(x) = sin(x ± 360°*z) (z is an integer)

Given n, solve for Θ:

n = sin(Θ) = sin(180° - Θ)

Base Solution 1:

n = sin(Θ)

⇒ Θ = arcsin(n)

Base Solution 2:

n = sin(180° - Θ)

arcsin(n) = 180° - Θ

⇒ Θ = 180° - arcsin(n)

Example:

0.67 = sin(Θ)

Base Solution 1: Θ = arcsin(0.67) ≈ 42.0670648025°

Base Solution 2: Θ = 180° - arcsin(0.67) ≈ 137.932935198°

Given n and α, solve for Θ:

n = sin(α + Θ)

Base Solution 1:

n = sin(α + Θ)

arcsin(n) = α + Θ

⇒ Θ = arcsin(n) – α

Base Solution 2:

n = sin(180° - (α + Θ))

n = sin(180° - α – Θ)

arcsin(n) = 180° - α – Θ

⇒ Θ = 180° - α – arcsin(n)

Example:

0.7757 = sin(Θ + 76°)

Base Solution 1: Θ = arcsin(0.7757) – 76° ≈ -25.1314549842°

Base Solution 2: Θ = 180° - 76° - arcsin(0.7757) = 104° - arcsin(0.7757) ≈ 53.131459842°

To get all the possible angles, add and subtract multiples of 360°.

Solving Simple Arccosine Equations

The calculator arccosine function gives: Domain: -1 ≤ x ≤ 1, Range: -90° ≤ Θ ≤ 90°

Note that for any angle x: cos(180° - x) = -cos(x), cos(x) = cos(x ± 360°*z) (z is an integer)

Given n, solve for Θ:

n = cos(Θ), n = cos(-Θ)

Base Solution 1:

n = cos(Θ)

⇒ Θ = arccos(n)

Base Solution 2:

n = cos(-Θ)

⇒ Θ = -arccos(n)

Example:

0.58 = cos(Θ)

Base Solution 1: Θ = arccos(0.58) ≈ 54.54945736°

Base Solution 2: Θ = -arccos(0.58) ≈ -54.54945736°

Given n and α, solve for Θ:

n = cos(α + Θ)

Base Solution 1:

n = cos(α + Θ)

arccos(n) = α + Θ

⇒ Θ = arccos(n) – α

Base Solution 2:

n = cos(-(α + Θ))

n = cos(-α – Θ)

arccos(n) = -α – Θ

-arccos(n) = α + Θ

⇒ Θ = -arccos(n) – α

Example:

0.6 = cos(35° + Θ)

Base Solution 1: Θ = arccos(0.6) – 35° ≈ 18.13012035°

Base Solution 2: Θ = -arccos(0.6) – 35° ≈ -88.13010235°

To get all the possible angles, add and subtract multiples of 360°.

I hope you find this useful and helpful,

Eddie

All original content copyright, © 2011-2026. Edward Shore. Unauthorized use and/or unauthorized distribution for commercial purposes without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. This blog entry may be distributed for noncommercial purposes, provided that full credit is given to the author.

HP 65 Programs: Triangulation, Percentile, Roots of Unity, Partial Fractions

 HP 65 Programs: Triangulation, Percentile, Roots of Unity, Partial Fractions

Triangulation

(done with HP-65 Emulator for Windows, Bernhard Emese)

Given:

Side angle α

Side angle ß

r = Length of base

Find:

h = height which crosses the base line at right angles

Code:

23: LBL

12: B

35: g

41: DEG

33 01: STO 1

35 08: R↓

41: ENTER

41: ENTER

44: CLX

51: -

31: f

04: SIN

35 09: R↑

31: f

04: SIN

71: *

33: STO

71: *

01: 1

35 08: R↓

61: +

31: f

04: SIN

33: STO

81: ÷

01: 1

34 01: RCL 1

24: RTN

Example: ß = 50°, α = 30°, r = 10

Result: h ≈ 3.89

Source:

“Triangulation (surveying)” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation (surveying) (last edited October 24, 2025). Retried March 17, 2026

Percentile in a Range

The program calculates the percentile of x in the range [a, b].

percentile = (x – a) ÷ (b – a) * 100%

Stack:

Z: x

Y: a

X: b

23: LBL

11: B

35 07: x<>y

51: -

35 00: LSTx

35 07: R↓

51: -

35 09: R↑

81: ÷

02: 2

32: f^-1

08: LOG (10^x)

71: ×

24: RTN

Example: The range: [210, 470], x = 376

Stack: Z: 376, Y: 210, X: 470

Result: 63.85

Roots of Unity

(done with HP-65 Emulator for Windows, Bernhard Emese)

w^n = 1

Registers used: R1 = n, R8 = n (counter)

n [ A ]

Cycle:

root # [ R/S ]

real part [ R/S ]

imaginary part [ R/S ] (the cycle starts again)

Repeat the cycle until the display is flashing zeros (forced 1/0 error). Hit [ CLx ] to stop the flashing.

This program switches the mode to radians angle measurement.

Code:

23: LBL

11: A

33 01: STO 1

33 08: STO 8

35: g

42: RAD

23: LBL

00: 0 (LBL 0 - subroutine)

34 08: RCL 8

84: R/S (show root #)

35: g

02: π

71: ×

02: 2

71: ×

34 01: RCL 1

81: ÷

01: 1

32: f^-1

01: R->P (->rect)

84: R/S (show real part)

35 07: x<>y

84: R/S (show imaginary part)

35: g

83: DSZ (decrement R8 by 1)

22: GTO

00: 0 (GOTO LBL 0)

34 08: RCL 8

35: g

04: 1/x

24: RTN

Example (FIX 4):

w^3 = 1

#; R/S; real part; R/S; imaginary part

3; 1.0000; -0.0000

2; -0.5000; -0.8660

1; -0.5000; 0.8660

(flashing zeroes)

Partial Fractions

(w is the variable, and T, Z, Y, and X are the stack contents)

(Tw+Z) ÷ ((w+Y)(w+X)) → B÷(w+Y) + A÷(w+X)

Input Stack: T, Z, Y, X 

Output Stack: B, A

Code: 

23: LBL 

11: A 

35, 07: x<>y 

51: - 

35, 00: LST x 

35, 09: R↑ 

71: × 

35, 00: LST x 

35, 07: x<>y 

35, 09: R↑ 

35, 07: x<>y 

51: - 

35, 09: R↑ 

81: ÷ 

41: ENTER 

35, 08: R↓ 

51: - 

35, 09: R↑ 

35, 07: x<>y 

24: RTN

Example 1: 

(12*w + 28) ÷ ((w+2) * (w+3)) = 4 ÷ (w+2) + 8 ÷ (w+3) 

Input Stack: T: 12, Z: 28, Y: 2, X: 3 press [ A ] 

Output Stack: Y (B): 4, X (A): 8

Example 2: 

(33) ÷ ((w-5) * (w+6)) = 3 ÷ (w-5) + -3 ÷ (w+6) 

Input Stack: T: 0, Z: 33, Y: -5, X: 6 press [ A ] 

Output Stack: Y (B): 3, X (A): -3

Example 3: 

(2*w - 3) ÷ ((w-1) * (w+4)) = -0.2 ÷ (w-1) + 0.2 ÷ (w+4) 

Input Stack: T: 2, Z: -3, Y: -1, X: 4 press [ A ] 

Output Stack: Y (B): -0.2, X (A): 0.2

Eddie

All original content copyright, © 2011-2026. Edward Shore. Unauthorized use and/or unauthorized distribution for commercial purposes without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. This blog entry may be distributed for noncommercial purposes, provided that full credit is given to the author.

RPN: Absolute Value Equations with the HP 11C and DM41X

RPN: Absolute Value Equations with the HP 11C and DM41X

Introduction: Solving |z * w + y| = x

Today’s blog focuses on solving the absolute value equation:

|z * w + y| = x

for the variable w, and the values of z, y, and x are given and are on the Classic RPN stack.

For example, in the problem |5 * w + 7| = 2, the stack would be set up as:

t: (anything, it doesn’t matter)

z: 5

y: 7

x: 2

(This is why I set the variable as w instead of the usual x.)

One approach is to use memory registers and other uses only stack operations. Today’s algorithm focuses on the latter.

Caution: In the above equation, x will always be non-negative. The equation will never be valid if x is negative.

The Algebra

Solve for w:

|z * w + y| = x

This leads us to solve the two equations:

(I)

z * w + y = -x

z * w = -x – y

w = -x/z – y/z

Let w- = -x/z – y/z = (-x/z) + (-y/z)

(II)

z * w + y = x

z * w = x – y

w = x/z - y/z

Let w+ = x/z – y/z = (x/z) + (-y/z)

Then:

w- = -x/z – y/z

w- = (-x/z) + (-y/z)

w- = (-x/z) + (-y/z) + (-x/z) + (x/z)

w- = 2 * (-x/z) + (x/z) + (-y/z)

w- = 2 * (-x/z) + w+

RPN Code: HP 11C (adoptable for other RPN calculators)

LBL A	001	42, 21, 11	Program start
R↓	002	33
R↓	003	33
X<>Y	004	34
R↓	005	33
1/x	006	15
×	007	20
LST x	008	43, 36
X<>Y	009	34
R↓	010	33
×	011	20
LST x	012	43, 36
R↑	013	43, 33
X<>Y	014	34
R↓	015	33
X<>Y	016	34
CHS	017	16
X<>Y	018	34
+	019	40
ENTER	020	36
ENTER	021	36
LST x	022	43, 36
-	023	30
LST x	024	43, 36
-	025	30
RTN	026	43, 32	Program end

RPN Code: DM41X (HP 41C series, no module is required)

LBL “ASBEQ”

RDN

RDN

X<>Y

RDN

1/x

×

LAST X

X<>Y

RDN

×

LAST X

R↑

X<>Y

RDN

X<>Y

CHS

X<>Y

+

ENTER

ENTER

LAST X

-

LAST X

-

RTN

Notes:

* RDN is shown as R↓

* To enter R↑, press XEQ, ALPHA, R, SHIFT, ENTER, ALPHA

Subroutines Used

We used several techniques to manipulate the stack. They are presented below:

Rotate stack from X, Y, Z, T to Z, X, Y, T

R↓

R↓

X<>Y

R↓

Source:

Ball, John A. Algorithms for RPN Calculators John Wiley & Sons: New York. 1978. ISBN 0-471-03070-8. pg. 78

Multiply Y and Z by 1/X. Stack: X, Y, Z, T → X, Y/X, Z/X, T

1/x

×

LAST X

X<>Y

R↓

×

LAST X

R↑

X<>Y

Change X, Y to Y+ X, Y – X

+

ENTER

ENTER

LAST X

-

LAST X

-

The resulting stack is:

z

z

y + x

y – x

Doing LAST X, -, twice is effectively subtracting whatever is in L register twice.

Examples

|4 * w – 6| = 5

Stack:

z: 4

y: -6

x: 5

Results:

y: 2.75

x: 0.25

|2 * w + 5| = 3

Stack:

z: 2

y: 5

x: 3

Results:

y: -1

x: -4

Eddie

All original content copyright, © 2011-2026. Edward Shore. Unauthorized use and/or unauthorized distribution for commercial purposes without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. This blog entry may be distributed for noncommercial purposes, provided that full credit is given to the author.