Major Calculator app bug in 15.7

[IvyKing]

The app has a weird error with the way functions such cos, 10^x, etc when the argument is negative. For example, 10 raised to the power of -1 should return 0.10, but the function returns -10.0. Similarly, cos of -60 degrees should return 0.5, but the function returns -0.5.

The 14.8 app does not have this error.

 

[richmlow]

The app has a weird error with the way functions such cos, 10^x, etc when the argument is negative. For example, 10 raised to the power of -1 should return 0.10, but the function returns -10.0. Similarly, cos of -60 degrees should return 0.5, but the function returns -0.5.

The 14.8 app does not have this error.

When I enter 10^-1, I get the correct answer of 0.10

When I enter Cos(-60) in degree mode, I get the correct answer of 0.5

I am using macOS Sequoia 15.7.


richmlow

 

[IvyKing]

I left out that this happens in RPN mode, but not in normal mode. Seems like the RPN mode has a funky way of handling the sign of the argument.

I appreciate the reply.

 

[IvyKing]

FWIW, the bug was not fixed in 15.7.1.

To be clear, this bug seems to be limited to the RPN mode, where the symptoms of the bug point to a screw up in the handling of the sign of the argument. For example using the X^2 with a negative argument comes back with a negative number, which nonsense. Similarly using the argument -1 for the 10^x returns -10 as opposed to 0.10.

 

[chabig]

The app has a weird error with the way functions such cos, 10^x, etc when the argument is negative. For example, 10 raised to the power of -1 should return 0.10, but the function returns -10.0. Similarly, cos of -60 degrees should return 0.5, but the function returns -0.5.

My calculator behaves the same way. I've never noticed because I don't use it. I recommend PCalc!!

 

[IvyKing]

My favorite was RPNScientific, but that was a 32 bit Intel application. Had extension windows for physical constants, a very thorough set of conversions, 20 memory registers and a number of functions. Another favorite RPN calc app was grpn, which was fairly basic but supported complex arithmetic - developer worked for Analog Devices.

My first calculator was an HP45, which still works with the wall wart - batteries died decades ago. Having RPN muscle memory makes using non RPN calculators painful.