Patent ID: 7035885

Claim:
A method for solving a plurality of formula-related function calculations and conversions commonly encountered in the machinist trade comprising the steps of a. providing a hand-held calculating apparatus having a visual display and a keyboard including one or more key groupings for selecting a specialized function for calculation: b. storing a plurality of pre-selected number of formula-related function calculations and conversions in said hand-held calculating apparatus that are individually selectable by depressing one of a corresponding number of function and conversion keys to initiate the selected function for calculation; c. initializing a specialized function calculation or conversion by selecting and depressing one of the plurality of function and conversion keys; d. causing one or more user prompts to appear on the visual display in a predetermined sequence for use in said selected function calculation; e. manually entering numerical information required for the selected function calculation in response to said user prompts and temporarily storing said numerical information; f. calculating said selected function using said temporarily stored numerical information and displaying a numerical result for said selected function on the visual display; g. providing one or more temporary memory locations for storing the numerical result of a previously completed selected function calculation and selectively storing said numerical result for said previously completed selected function calculation in said one or more temporary memory locations for later recall; h. prompting the user by displaying a special character when previously stored numerical information is of the same type information required for use with a newly selected function calculation and recalling said previously temporarily stored numerical information of the same type for use in the newly selected function calculation.