Texas Instruments TI-86 - Manual (Page 51)

Chapter 2: The CATALOG , Variables, and Characters
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02CATVAR.DOC TI-86, Chap 2, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:18 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:00 PM Page 39 of 10 02CATVAR.DOC TI-86, Chap 2, US English Bob Fedorisko Revised: 02/13/01 2:18 PM Printed: 02/13/01 3:00 PM Page 39 of 10
Storing Data to Variables
On the TI -86, data can be stored to variables in several ways. You can:
♦
Use X to store a value to a variable.
♦
Use = to store an unevaluated expression to an equation variable.
♦
Use an editor’s Name= prompt to store several types of data to a variable.
♦
Change TI -86 settings or reset defaults and memory to the factory settings.
♦
Execute functions that cause the TI -86 to store data automatically to built-in variables.
The TI -86 has built-in variable names with specific purposes, such as equation variables, list
names, statistical result variables, window variables, and Ans . You can store values to some
of them. They are introduced in the appropriate chapters of this guidebook.
Creating a Variable Name
You can create your own variable name when you use X, = , or a Name= prompt to store
data. When you create a user-created variable name, follow these guidelines.
♦
The user-created variable name can be from one to eight characters long.
♦
The first character must be a letter, which includes all CHAR GREEK menu items, as well
as С, с, З, and ç from the CHAR MISC menu.
♦
A user-created variable name cannot replicate a TI -86 feature symbol or built-in
variable. For example, you cannot create abs , because abs is the absolute value
function symbol. You cannot create Ans , because it is already a built-in variable name.
♦ The TI -86 distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase characters in variable
names. For example, ANS , Ans , and ans are three different variable names. Therefore,
only Ans is a built-in variable name; ANS and ans can be user-created variable names.
This chapter describes the
first two data storage
methods listed here. The
other methods are described
in the appropriate chapters.