SDP Help file
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Tutorial
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How to enter
questions into SDP
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How to Get a result
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How
to convert the result to a different scale
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How to change
the default scale
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How
to change the way numbers are represented
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How
to enter the accuracy of a number
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How to enter
complex numbers
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How
to send your results to a graph
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How to plot a function
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How to add new units
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How to add more
functions
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How to use the browsers
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How to
save your results to a file
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How to use constants
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How to use memory
cells
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How to define
your own buttons
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How to use
the mini data sheet
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SI prefixes
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How
to change the number of digits SDP Displays
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How to
solve a definite integral
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Examples of calculations
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What can
I do with the results
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Numerical integration
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Numerical
minimization and maximization
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Numerical Solve...
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About Random numbers
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Regression
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Transformations
of the graph points
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Special functions
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Vector Calculator
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periodic table
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How to register
ow to enter questions into SDP
The most basic thing about using SDP is entering the questions in,
Than you get results and you are half way to the top.
There are a few ways of doing that.
Using the keyboard screen
buttons Cutting
and pasting
Using the keyboard
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Place the mouse pointer other the green entry on the main window
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Press it once to make the entry active.
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Type in your question and press enter.
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Note that SDP is case sensitive (i.e. A and a are not the same).
Using screen buttons and menus
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If you need a specific word (say a unit or a function name) the best way
is to find it on a screen button or one of the menus. That way you will
not make spelling mistakes and such.
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To use the menus look in the units menu and in the functions menu, and
select the unit/function you need.
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You can also open the SDP control window and "More units" window (on the
Options menu) where you will find predefined buttons for some units and
functions.
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Use the definitions window (options menu) type in your unit and press the
button on the side.
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Use the units and function browsers , press <- and -> to flip through
the units/functions than press the middle button to enter it to the question
window.
Cutting and pasting
from
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In the edit menu you will find cut and paste which cuts and pastes the
questions and result to/from the clipboard.
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You can mark something on an entry and than by clicking the middle mouse
button this text would be inserted into every entry on the utility.
How to Get a result
once you already have a question
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Just press enter on the green entry in the main window.
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Press Calculate on the main window
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Choose a calculation option from the file menu.
How
to convert the result to a different scale
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Press the -> button in the "matching unit browser" (bottom of main window)
until the result you want appears on the button next to it.
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press this button.
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Or open the "units window" (use the options menu) and use the convert to
button.
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Or
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Once you have got a result , open "convert to" on the result menu.
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Type the name of the unit you want to convert your result to in the dialog
box.
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Press convert.
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If you only want it in MKS or CGS use the calculate MKS/CGS on the file
menu.
How to change
the default scale you use
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In the file menu choose MKS CGS or you own unit file. to make the
result appear in this scale.
How
to change the way numbers are represented
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In the number menu you can select several ways to represent real and complex
numbers.
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In the SDP control screen you can set the precession the results are shown
at.
How
to enter the accuracy of a number
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If you are using the keyboard type err [(2 err 0.02) Meter]
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If you use the screen buttons use ± on the control window. [(2±0.02)
Meter]
How to enter
complex numbers
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Just use the i as you would have on paper , you can find it on the control
center or on the keyboard.
How
to send your results to a graph
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If you don't have an open graph , open one using the options/open_graph
menu button.
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Specify the dimensions of your graph ,You cannot change it after you put
points or functions in.
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Press "Open".
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On the graph press add point to insert the values for your point.
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Alternatively you can place the mouse pointer where you want the point
and press the right mouse button.
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You can later drag each point around the graph to a different point.
How to plot a function
on the graph
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You can plot any (real 2D) function on to of the graph.
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To plot a function open the options/plot function menu button.
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If you already have a graph opened set the dimensions of the graph to be
the same as those on the graph. Changing it can cause trouble.
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Type the function you want to plot on the top entry of the "plot function"
dialog.
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Press Plot now
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You can add as many functions as you need .
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You can drag each point of the function to a different place.
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Use x as your variable.
How to add new units
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On the file menu open "Define a new unit or function".
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On the first entry marked as "New unit name" type your new unit name and
press enter.
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On the second entry type the old unit which relates to the new unit. ("using
dimensions").
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Fill in the details on the conversion.
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press add (The top one).
How to add more
functions
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On the file menu open "Define a new unit or function".
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On the lower part of the window fill in you functions details and press
add.
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The variables of the function are called %0 (first variable) %1 (second)
and so on up to %9.
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If you really need more don't use %10 , use %: instead according to the
order of the letters in the ascii code.
How to use the browsers
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Browsers look like 3 button attached to each other, the left one is marked
as <- and the right one is marked -> the 3rd has something written on
it.
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You press -> and <- in order for what you need to appear on the main
button and than press it.
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function and unit browsers act as a function/unit buttons.
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Matching unit browser converts the result to the selected scale.
How to
save your results to a file .
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You can save the results (numbers only or numbers and units) and the questions
to a file for use with other programs.
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On the Result menu pick "start saving results to a file"
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choose the filename you want to save the results to.
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Choose whether to save numbers only or numbers and units (or maybe questions
to)
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When you are done pick Stop saving results to a file (Results menu).
How to use constants
.
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Just pick the ones you need from the constants menu or press the corresponding
button on the SDP control.
How to use memory
cells
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If you want to save your result in a memory cell for later use in other
calculations you can do several things.
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Insert last answer in the edit menu inserts the last answer you got to
the question entry.
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If you need more memory cells . Open the SDP Control window you have (on
the left) 4 memory cells each with an in and out button . these buttons
remember the question (in brackets) and not the answer for better flexibility.
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If you still need more , open the options menu -> button definitions and
place what you want to remember in one of the green entries, press the
button on the right to it to retrieve it. You can have as many memories
here as you want because you can save these to files for later loading
, thus you can group some constants and functions you often use in
a file specific for a subject.
How to define
your own buttons .
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Open the options->"Button definitions" screen.
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You have here 10 empty green entries. Type what you want the button to
insert on one of it. The button on the right will insert it to the question
entry.
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You can use these buttons for constants , units , and functions.
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You can save and load files containing the definitions so you can have
as many sets as you want.
How to use
the "mini data sheet"
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Open the mini data sheet from the options menu.
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Left click with the mouse on one of the green entries on the left.
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Edit a question in it the same way you would have done with the main entry
on the main window.
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Press enter the result will appear on the blue entry next to it.
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If you use several green entries you can refer to the result of each as
#0 #1 etc.. , these numbers are the numbers near each entry so #0 is the
result of the 1st calculation.
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To calculate all the cells using the new values press ReCalculate, otherwise
the change in one cell will not affect the others.
SI prefixes
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You can insert SI prefixes (such as Centi or Kilo) before any unit you
want, just leave some space after it. (Centi Gram)
How
to change the number of digits SDP displays
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Change the precession value on the SDP control window.
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To change it back to 9 you can use the number menu->precsision=9.
How to
solve a definite integral
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On the options menu open numerical integration
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Fill in the values in the dialog box.
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Press integrate now.
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The answer will be shown in the bottom entry.
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The integral itself can have units but dx cannot have units.
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x must be the only variable in the function. (1D integration).
Examples of calculations
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You can copy/paste these from here to SDP.
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1 Mile=(1609.344) {M^(1)}
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1 Mile/4 Day=(0.00465666667) {M^(1)} {Sec^(-1)}
Notice the mixing of different units.
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((1 Mile/4 Day)^2*4 Kg)/2
=(4.33690889e-05) {M^(2)} {Kg^(1)} {Sec^(-2)}
=(4.33690889e-05) {Joule }
=(2.68888389e+14) {Ev}
= etc... any unit you choose.
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((1 Mile/4 Day)^2*4 Kg)/2+4 Horsepower*(0.01+i*1) Year
=(7210482.42+i * 721048242) {Joule }
Notice the use of complex numbers.
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(3±0.01) Cm * (4±0.03) M
=(0.12 ±0.0013) {M^(2)}
Notice that the calculation of the error is done
automatically.
What
can I do with the results .
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Convert it to any other scale.
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Find out which units are of the same dimensions of
your result.
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Save it to a file in various formats.
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Plot it on a graph.
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Use it in a new calculation
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Put it into a memory cell.
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Copy it to other utilities.
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Put it on a button.
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Edit it before you copy it to another application.
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Print it in other formats.
Numerical
integration
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On the options menu open numerical integration.
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Fill in the functions you want to integrate using
x as your variable and without the dx at the end.
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Fill in the range of integration (from->to)
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Press integrate now and get the result on the bottom.
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Integration is done only on the real axis but can
use complex numbers
(i.e. you can integrate exp(2*i*x) from 0 to
10 but you can't integrate exp(2*x) from 0 to 10*i .
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As with all numerical calculations the result is
not accurate and gets better as the range gets smaller, but not to small.
Numerical
minimization and maximization
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On the options menu open numerical minimization/maximization.
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Fill in the functions you want to minimize using
x as your variable.
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Fill in the range of minimization/maximization (from->to)
only local minima on this range will be found.
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Press minimize/maximize now and get the result on
the bottom.
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Minimization/Maximization is done only on the
real axis and gives back the minimum/maximum only of the real part. it
ignores all the complex parts as there is no way to compare complex numbers.
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As with all numerical calculations the result is
not accurate and gets better as the range gets smaller, but not to small
(too small is when calculations are smaller then about 10^-100 (including
internal variables).
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The function return only one result even if there
are some.
Numerical
Solve...
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On the options menu open solve to 0.
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Fill in the function you want to find zero of using
x as your variable.
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Fill in the range of search (from->to) only solutions
on this range will be found.
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Press solve_now now and get the result on the bottom.
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Solve is done only on the real axis and gives
back the closest result it gets , this result might not suitable
at all, therefor it gives you the value it returns when put into the function.
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As with all numerical calculations the result is
not accurate and gets better as the range gets smaller, but not to small
(too small is when calculations are smaller then about 10^-100 (including
internal variables).
About
Random numbers
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The function rnd returns a random number.
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Unless you change the settings (read on) the random
number is uniformly spread between 0 and 1.
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If you want it to be a number between different boundaries
open the options -> random number properties.
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You can specify here the minimum and maximum for
the random number generation (if you want numbers between 3 and 8.2 for
example) and the distribution function of the random numbers (If you want
more small numbers the than big ones).
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for a uniform distribution put 1 as the distribution
function.
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for a normal distribution use a gaussian (exp(-((x-a)^2))/2b)
where a is the mean value of the random numbers and b is the sqrt of the
mean variance of the numbers.
Regression
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If you have several points on the graph you can find
a matching function to it.
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In the graph window open the regression menu and
choose a suitable function.
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If the calculations succeeds you will get a dialog
box with the parameters of the function. You can than plot it if you want
to.
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If you do not have enough points or if you have negatives
points and you are trying to match an exponent you will get no result.
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On linear match you will get the error value too.
Transformations
of the graph points .
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Transformations are when you make a single calculation
on all the points in a graph and move the points to where the results point.
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for example if you want to change the scale of your
graph from meters to centimeters the transformation would be
x->x*100 and Y->y*100.
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You can use any mathematical function in your transformation.
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Use x and y when you want to refer to the coordinates
of the point.
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To use this feature open the transformations/general
menu button on the graph.
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Always put in some value for both x and y to prevent
errors. If you the value to remain as is put x or y into it.
Using
multiple graphs
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You can open as many graphs as you want. All you
have to remember is that only one graph is active at a time.
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The active graph is the one with the menus and button
in it.
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By clicking on a graph you make it active.
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You can plot point by clicking the right mouse button
on a graph so click it with the left first.
What
can I do with the postscript file I get
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Many application can integrate postscript file into
it (including ms-word ghostview and latex)
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If you have a postscript printer you can just
copy the file to it.
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You can get ghostview and gsview for free at
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost
and many other places on the net..
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If you want to print it , and don't have a postscript printer You must
use one of these programs.
Special functions
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The function atanr is basically for internal use , however , since it is
a very useful function it is documented here (as well as made accessible
threw the interface).
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given an X and Y value [atanr ( X , Y ) ] it will return an
angle for the [X,Y] vector so that sqrt(X*X+Y*Y)*cos(atanr(X,Y))=X and
sqrt(X*X+Y*Y)*sin(atanr(X,Y))=Y.
Vector Calculator
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By opening the vector calculator (options menu) you can do vectoric calculations.
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The first 9 bars are where the coordinates of your vector are shown.
First row in XYZ format
Second in spherical format
third row in cylindrical format.
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Below there is a bar to insert a scalar (number) for calculations that
require one.
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Below it there are some operation buttons for the functions of this calculator.
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It operates like your normal calculator (using vectors)
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The + button adds vectors.
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The - subtracts.
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The X returns the cross product of the two vectors to the vector screen
(upper 9 bars).
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The * returns the dot (scalar) product of the two vectors to the main question
bar.
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The a*V buttons multiplies the vector by the scalar in the scalar bar.
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The U button transforms the vector to it's unit vector (length 1).
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the << button sends the angle between the vectors to the main question
bar.
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The R sends the length of the vector to the main question bar
Named Variables
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You can use any letter as a variable , by sending a value to it using the
= operator
for example 2 Torr = p would give p the value of 2 Torr.
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You can than refer to this value by typing %p.
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You should use this feature if you are using a value in a number of different
calculations.
Periodic table .
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On the options menu you will find a periodic table.
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Once you click on an element you can see it's properties on the bottom.
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You can paste the properties to the calculator using the paste buttons
on the left.
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On the bottom right you will find some common organic legends you can see
the mass off (and paste it).
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Red substances are gas at standard T and P and blue elements are liquid.
How
to register .
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Get an email address (if you don't have one you
can get one at http://www.yahoo.com
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Send me a regular (snail mail) letter containing
the following:
-Your email address where I will send you
the registration code.
The registration fee.
-Your Name and company as written in the installation
file (if you don't remember check/change it on the file "regname" in the
directory SDP is installed in. This is important because the registration
code is unique for this information.
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The registration fee is 30 US$ for private usage
and 100 US$ for non private usage (i.e. more than 3 people are licensed
to use the software).
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Any comment you might wanna add.
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Thanks. Your payment will help developing better
software.