Computing machine with an inequality computation function

Abstract

When an arithmetic operation is performed on an inequality, a solution notation pattern composed of a combination of a symbol and an inequality sign symbol is determined on the basis of an expression, a solution, and an inequality sign symbol. With Line I/O being set as the calculation result display mode, the solution notation pattern data, for example, [A≦X≦B], is displayed in the upper part of a display unit. The values of the solutions [X 1 ] [X 2 ] corresponding to the symbols [A] [B] shown in the pattern data are displayed as [A=X 1 ] [B=X 2 ] in the lower part of the display unit. This makes it possible to display the solution of the inequality in an easy-to-understand manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computing machine comprising:
 inequality input means for inputting an inequality; 
 inequality computation means for calculating a solution to an the inequality input by the inequality input means; 
 solution notation pattern determination means which, on the basis of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means and an inequality sign symbol of the inequality, determines a solution notation pattern composed of a combination of including a symbol and an inequality sign symbol; and 
 solution display means which causes displays on a display unit to display not only both the solution notation pattern determined by the solution notation pattern determination means but also the and a value of the solution of the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       2. The computing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the symbol of included in the solution notation pattern displayed by the solution display means is a character, and
 the solution display means displays on the display unit the value of a the solution corresponding to the character included in the notation pattern together with the character. 
 
     
     
       3. The computing machine according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 display mode setting means for setting a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode; and 
 mathematical solution display means which, when the display mode setting means has set the Math I/O mode, displays on the display unit a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means into for the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined by the notation pattern determination means, instead of the operation of the solution display means 
 wherein, when the display mode setting means has set the Line I/O mode, the solution display means displays on the display both the solution notation pattern determined by the solution notation pattern determination means and the value of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       4. The computing machine according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 symbol display means which, when the mathematical solution display means has not displayed the solution notation fully on the display unit, displays a scroll symbols symbol on the display unit; and 
 scroll means which, when the symbol display means has displayed the scroll symbols symbol on the display unit, scrolls the solution notation displayed on the display unit according to a user operation and displays the resulting notation. 
 
     
     
       5. The computing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 symbol specifying means for specifying, according to a user operation, a symbol corresponding to the solution in the solution notation pattern displayed by the pattern solution display means, 
 wherein the solution display means includes means for causing displays on the display unit to display the value of the solution corresponding to the symbol of the solution notation pattern specified by the symbol specifying means. 
 
     
     
       6. The computing machine according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 display mode setting means for setting a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode; and 
 mathematical solution display means which, when the display mode setting means has set the Math I/O mode, displays on the display unit a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means into for the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined by the solution notation pattern determination means instead of the operation of the solution display means, 
 wherein, when the display mode setting means has set the Line I/O mode, the solution display means displays on the display both the solution notation pattern determined by the solution notation pattern determination means and the value of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation means corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       7. The computing machine according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 symbol display means which, when the mathematical solution display means has not display displayed the solution notation fully on the display unit, displays a scroll symbols symbol on the display unit; and 
 scroll means which, when the symbol display means has displayed the scroll symbols symbol on the display unit, scrolls the solution notation displayed on the display unit according to a user operation and displays the resulting notation. 
 
     
     
       8. A solution display method executed in a computing machine which performs an arithmetic operation on an input inequality, the solution display method comprising:
 a solution notation pattern determination step ofdetermining, on the basis of a calculated solution to the inequality calculated and an inequality sign symbol of the inequality, determining a solution notation pattern composed of a combination of including a symbol and the an inequality sign symbol; and 
 a solution display step of causingdisplaying on a display unit to display not onlyboth the solution notation pattern determined in the solution notation pattern determination step but also theand a value of the calculated solution to the inequality corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       9. The solution display method according to  claim 8 , wherein the symbol of included in the solution notation pattern displayed in the solution display step on the display is a character, and
 the solution display step includes a step of displaying on the display unit the value of a the solution corresponding to the character included in the notation pattern is displayed together with the character. 
 
     
     
       10. The solution display method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a display mode setting step of setting a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode; and 
 a mathematical solution display step of, when the Math I/O mode has been set In the display mode setting step, displaying on the display unit a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the calculated solution to the inequality into for the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined in the is notation pattern determination step, instead of the operation of the solution display step, 
 wherein when the Line I/O mode has been set, the display displays both the solution notation pattern and the value of the solution to the inequality corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       11. The solution display method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a symbol display step of, when the solution notation has not been displayed fully on the display unit in the mathematical solution display step when the Math I/O mode has been set, displaying a scroll symbols symbol on the display unit; and 
 a scroll step of, when the scroll symbols have symbol has been displayed on the display unit in the symbol display step, scrolling the solution notation displayed on the display unit according to a user operation. 
 
     
     
       12. The solution display method according to claim  8  22, further comprising:
 a symbol specifying step of specifying, according to a user operation, a symbol corresponding to the solution in the solution notation pattern displayed in the pattern display step on the display, 
 wherein the solution display step includes a step of causing the display unit to display displays the value of the solution corresponding to the specified symbol of the solution notation pattern specified in the symbol specifying step. 
 
     
     
       13. The solution display method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a display mode setting step of setting a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode; and 
 a mathematical solution display step of, when the Math I/O mode has been set in the display mode setting step, displaying on the display unit a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the calculated solution to the inequality into for the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined in the notation pattern determination step, instead of the operation of the solution display step, 
 wherein when the Line I/O mode has been set, the display displays both the solution notation pattern and the value of the solution to the inequality corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       14. The solution display method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a symbol display step of, when the solution notation has not been displayed fully on the display unit in the mathematical solution display step when the Math I/O mode has been set, displaying a scroll symbols symbol on the display unit; and 
 a scroll step of, when the scroll symbols have symbol has been displayed on the display unit in the symbol display step, scrolling the solution notation displayed on the display unit according to a user operation. 
 
     
     
       15. A computing machine comprising: 
 a key input unit,;  
 a display unit,;  
 a processor,; and 
 a memory, 
 wherein the processor including 
 an inequality input function of causing the key input unit to input an inequality, 
 an inequality computation function of calculating is configured to: (i) calcuate a solution to an inequality input by the inequality input function, 
 a solution notation pattern determination function of, via the key input unit; (ii) on the basis of the solution to the inequality calculated by the inequality computation function and an inequality sign symbol of the inequality, determining determine a solution notation pattern composed of a combination of including a symbol and an inequality sign symbol; and 
 a solution display function of causing a(iii) cause the display unit to display not only both the solution notation pattern determined by the solution notation pattern determination function but also the and a value of the calculated solution to the inequality calculated by the computation function corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       16. The computing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the symbol of included in the solution notation pattern displayed by the solution display function on the display is a character, and
 the solution display function has the function of displaying onthe processor causes the display unitto display the value of athe solution corresponding to the character included in the notation pattern together with the character. 
 
     
     
       17. The computing machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the memory includes a display mode storage unit which stores data that sets a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode; and,
 wherein the processor executes a mathematical solution display function of is configured to, when the display mode storage unit memory has stored data that sets the Math I/O mode, displaying on cause the display unit to display a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the calculated solution to the inequality calculated by the computation function into for the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined by the notation pattern determination function, instead of the operation of the solution display function, and 
 wherein the processor is configured to, when the memory has stored data that sets the Line I/O mode, cause the display to display both the solution notation pattern and the value of the calculated solution to the inequality corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       18. The computing machine according to claim  15  22, wherein the processor executes a symbol specifying function of specifying is configured to specify, according to a user operation, a symbol corresponding to the solution in the solution notation pattern displayed by the pattern display function on the display, and
 the solution display function includes the function of causingwherein the processor is configured to cause the display unit to display the value of the solution corresponding to the specified symbol of the solution notation pattern specified by the symbol specifying function. 
 
     
     
       19. The computing machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the memory includes a display mode storage unit which stores data that sets a solution display mode to either a Line I/O mode or a Math I/O mode, and
 wherein the processor executes a mathematical solution display function ofis configured to execute, when the display mode storage unitmemory has stored data that sets the Math I/O mode, displaying oncause the display unitto display a solution notation obtained by substituting the value of the calculated solution to the inequality calculated by the computation function intofor the symbol of the solution notation pattern determined by the notation pattern determination function, instead of the operation of the solution display function, and 
 wherein the processor is configured to, when the memory has stored data that sets the Line I/O mode, cause the display to display both the solution notation pattern and the value of the calculated solution to the inequality corresponding to the symbol included in the displayed solution notation pattern. 
 
     
     
       20. The computing machine according to claim 1, wherein the solution notation pattern includes a plurality of symbols and a plurality of inequality sign symbols; and
 wherein the solution display means displays, on the display, both the solution notation pattern and the value of the solution to the inequality corresponding to at least one of the plurality of symbols included in the displayed solution notation pattern.    
     
     
       21. The solution display method according to claim 8, wherein the solution notation pattern includes a plurality of symbols and a plurality of inequality sign symbols; and
 wherein the display displays both the solution notation pattern and the value of the solution to the inequality corresponding to at least one of the plurality of symbols included in the displayed solution notation pattern.    
     
     
       22. The computing machine according to claim 15, wherein the solution notation pattern includes a plurality of symbols and a plurality of inequality sign symbols; and
 wherein the processor is configured to cause the display to display both the solution notation pattern and the value of the solution to the inequality corresponding to at least one of the plurality of symbols included in the displayed solution notation pattern.