Manual

Functions and commands 309
Abbreviations used in this chapter
In describing the syntax of functions and commands, the
following abbreviations and conventions are used:
Eqn: an equation
Expr: a mathematical expression
Fnc: a function
Frac: a fraction
Intgr: an integer
Obj: signifies that objects of more than one type are
allowable here
Poly: a polynomial
RatFrac: a rational fraction
Val: a real value
Var: a variable
Parameters that are optional are given in square brackets, as
in
NORMAL_ICDF([,,]p).
For ease of reading, commas are used to separate
parameters, but these are only necessary to separate
parameters. Thus a single-parameter command needs no
comma after the parameter even if, in the syntax shown
below, there is a comma between it and an optional
parameter. An example is the syntax zeros(Expr,[Var]).
The comma is needed only if you are specifying the optional
parameter Var.
Keyboard functions
The most frequently used functions are available directly from
the keyboard. Many of the keyboard functions also accept
complex numbers as arguments. Enter the keys and inputs
shown below and press
E to evaluate the expression.
In the examples below, shifted functions are represented
by the actual keys to be pressed, with the function name
shown in parentheses. For example,
Se
(ASIN) means
that to make an arc sine calculation (ASIN), you press
Se
.