Apparatus and method for simultaneously displaying a number along with its number of significant figures

A computing device comprising:

• an electrical circuit comprising:
• a processor, and
• a memory device electrically coupled to the processor;
• a display screen electrically coupled to the electrical circuit;
• an input device electrically coupled to the electrical circuit;
• and
• a software application stored in the memory device, and when executed by the processor, the software application being adapted to provide instructions to:
• calculate a floating point answer for a mathematical operation entered for one or more numbers entered into the computing device via the input device,
• if there is an addition and/or subtraction operation within the entered mathematical operation,
• determine the proper precision for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• round the floating point answer to the proper precision,
• determine the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• simultaneously display on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer;
• and
• if there are no addition or subtraction operations within the entered mathematical operation,
• determine the proper number of significant figures for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• round the floating point answer to the proper number of significant figures, and
• simultaneously display on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer.

A portable handheld calculator comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory device electrically coupled to the processor;
• a display screen electrically coupled to the processor;
• a keypad input device electrically coupled to the processor;
• and
• a software application stored in the memory device, and when executed by the processor, the software application being adapted to provide instructions to:
• determine the number of significant figures for a first number entered via the keypad input device,
• simultaneously display on the display screen the first entered number along with the number of significant figures for the first entered number,
• determine the number of significant figures for a second number entered via the keypad input device,
• simultaneously display on the display screen the second entered number along with the number of significant figures for the second entered number,
• calculate a floating point answer for a mathematical operation entered, wherein the entered numbers are the operands,
• if there is an addition and/or subtraction operation within the entered mathematical operation,
• determine the proper precision for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• round the floating point answer to the proper precision,
• determine the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• simultaneously display on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer;
• and
• if there are no addition or subtraction operations within the entered mathematical operation,
• determine the proper number of significant figures for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• round the floating point answer to the proper number of significant figures, and
• simultaneously display on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer.

A method of displaying an answer for a mathematical operation on a display screen of a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

• calculating a floating point answer for a mathematical operation entered for one or more numbers entered into the computing device,
• if there is an addition and/or subtraction operation within the entered mathematical operation,
• determining the proper precision for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• rounding the floating point answer to the proper precision,
• determining the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• simultaneously displaying on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• if there are no addition or subtraction operations within the entered mathematical operation,
• determining the proper number of significant figures for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• rounding the floating point answer to the proper number of significant figures, and
• simultaneously displaying on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer.

A computer program adapted to be executed by a computing device, the computer program comprising a method of displaying an answer on a display screen of the computing device for a mathematical operation performed by the computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

• calculating a floating point answer for a mathematical operation entered for one or more numbers entered into the computing device,
• if there is an addition and/or subtraction operation within the entered mathematical operation,
• determining the proper precision for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• rounding the floating point answer to the proper precision,
• determining the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• simultaneously displaying on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer, and
• if there are no addition or subtraction operations within the entered mathematical operation,
• determining the proper number of significant figures for the floating point answer based on the entered numbers,
• rounding the floating point answer to the proper number of significant figures, and
• simultaneously displaying on the display screen the rounded answer and the number of significant figures for the rounded answer.