The FX83 is the best selling calculator in the UK and is widely used in state examinations. The latest variant is called the FX83GT CW and it appears to have forgotten how to input numbers in scientific notation.
On the Older 83GT X model (and every CASIO calculator I have used previously) there is a button labelled "x10^" which allows you to enter the exponent for a number using scientific notation. On the newer FX83 CW pressing this button doesn't use scientific notation but just types the characters x10^ into the calculation line and works out the result using BODMAS. (I am using ^ in place of the superscripted exponent).
Here is an example comparing the older model FX83GT X with the latest model FX83GT CW. Both calculators are set to Decimal mode to avoid getting answers as fractions :
The sum I want to do is 25/40k and the correct answer should be 6.25x10^-4.
The key presses for this are 2, 5, รท,4,0,"x10^",3 and press = for the X model or "EXE" for the CW model to get the answer.
On the older FX83GT X you get the correct answer of 6.25x10^-4
On the newer FX83GT CW you get the incorrect answer 625.
If you actually need to use scientific notation on the CW model you have to force it using brackets which is quite fiddly.
This is a bizarre error for a calculator that is sold by the million and used by many many students in maths and science exams. I would be dlighted if one of you can prove me wrong and find a setting I overlooked to enable scientific input again but I have spent a long time trying to get it work and I have given up.
Edited by Liambp, 11 March 2025 - 03:41 PM.
