HP 32SII - Manual (Page 99)

Entering and Evaluating Equations 6–11
File name 32sii-Manual-E-0424
Printed Date : 2003/4/24 Size : 17.7 x 25.2 cm
Expressions. The equation does not contain an "=". For example, x 3
+ 1 is an expression.
When you're calculating with an equation, you might use any type of
equation—although the type can affect how it's evaluated. When you're
solving a problem for an unknown variable, you'll probably use an equality
or assignment. When you're integrating a Function, you'll probably use an
expression.
Evaluating Equations
One of the most useful characteristics of equations is their ability to be
evaluated — to generate numeric values. This is what enables you to
calculate result from an equation. (It also enables you to solve and integrate
equations, as described in chapters 7 and 8).
Because many equations have two sides separated by "=", the basic value of
an equation is the difference between the values of the two sides. For this
calculation, "=" in an equation essentially treated as "_".
The value is a measure of lour well the equation balances.
The HP 32SII has two keys for evaluating equations: š and W . Their
actions differ only in how they evaluate assignment equations:
W returns the value of the equation, regardless of the type: equation.
š returns the value of the equation—unless it's an assignment–type
equation. For an assignment equation, š returns the value f the
right side only, and also "enters" that value into the variable on the left
side — it stores the value in the variable.