Electronics > Beginners
EE Pros: Is RPN still relevant?
jakeisprobably:
I've been watching a few tutorials on the Forth programming language and looking into the history of calculators. Reverse Polish Notation seems, to me, to be more intuitive due to it's linear structure.
For a new student just getting started, is it worthwhile to learn and utilize RPN in the professional world at this point?
helius:
Learning to use a RPN calculator doesn't take long in any case, so not much time wasted if you decide it's not helping you.
In terms of the question in your topic, catenative programming languages are as relevant as they've ever been, and point-free style is used by the most modern languages (like Haskell).
Benta:
--- Quote ---For a new student just getting started, is it worthwhile to learn and utilize RPN in the professional world at this point?
--- End quote ---
Probably not.
I say this as an older guy possessing two HP-15C, one always in my jacket, the other on my workbench. Before finding the right App on the phone, or booting the laptop, I have an answer in seconds.
But I confess, it's nerdy.
Nowadays, starting a big simulator program for calculating an RC network seems to be the way to go.
rstofer:
Absolutely! The calculator I prefer to use, an HP48GX, uses ONLY RPN. Some calculators use a mish-mashed RPN and some use either algebraic or text-book entry.
My grandson is taking Calc I and when we do the homework, we both use HP48GXs. It is his preferred calculator after using HP Prime, TI Nspire and a couple of others.
It takes about 5 minutes to learn RPN, it just isn't a big deal. Try (3+4)(5+6)/(4+5)*(7+8)
3 Enter
4 Plus
5 Enter
6 Plus
*
4 Enter
5 Plus
7 Enter
8 Plus
*
/
Now try it with something else!
I'm not an evangelist. I use RPN and have for over 40 years. Use it if you think it helps, skip it if you don't.
helius:
--- Quote from: rstofer on March 03, 2017, 08:22:54 pm ---Absolutely! The calculator I prefer to use, an HP48GX, uses ONLY RPN.
--- End quote ---
Unless you type the ' key ;)
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