It features ten memory locations to store numerical data, plus accesses the system clipboard through copy and paste. The memory locations and system clipboard can also be used to move data between the worksheets and the main calculator. In RPN mode, you can view the entire twenty number stack and manipulate data within it by using swap, move, drop, duplicate, copy, and rotate functions. FCPlus Professional also offers a worksheet to view past calculations (as shown in Figure A, redisplayed below) and another to edit and view the stored memory locations.

FIGURE A

Here are the financial calculator screens, redisplayed.

The second section is the financial, business, and statistical worksheets (as shown in Figure A, redisplayed above). FCPlus Professional offers a worksheet structure instead of a single-value display window. By seeing entire problems at once, it becomes simpler to analyze your financial data.

Understanding the variables
FCPlus Professional can help you get a handle on your debts and assist in financial planning. Many questions can be asked and answered. How much will you pay each month? Of that amount, how much interest do you pay? What can be deducted on your taxes? How much am I paying over the life of a loan? Is one loan better than another loan? For investments, you can determine return after x-number of years, amount to invest each month to amass a certain wealth, or an optimal interest rate, just to name a few possibilities. You would use the Time Value of Money worksheet to perform these calculations.

There are eight pieces of information needed to solve these types of problems: present value, future value, payment amount, interest rate, periods, the payment timing, periods per year, and compounding periods per year.

As shown in Figure B below, you can enter a value for a variable by tapping the solid-bordered button that contains the label. This accesses the Input screen. Enter the amount on this screen and then tap the "SV" button to save ("CN" will cancel and void the changes you have made to the value). Calculate an amount by tapping on the dotted-bordered button that contains the value. Only those values that can be calculated have dotted-borders.

FIGURE B

Enter a variable value.

As mentioned before, there are eight pieces of information pertinent to any annuity, loan or lease calculation. The "Present Value" is the value of the investment in today's dollars. The "Future Value" is the value of the investment at the end of the investment time while the "Payment" amount is the amount paid each period.

For our purposes, we are not going to concern ourselves with the compounding periods per year; instead we will assume it is the same as the periods per year. The default for "Periods per Year" is 12, which designates that there are 12 periods in one year (monthly payments). "Periods" is the number of periods over the life of the investment. This is usually the number of years times the periods per year. "Payment Timing" designates when the payment is due, whether at the Beginning or Ending of the period.