Calculator Effeciency (HP 12c)

CFA Level II Corporate Finance
#1

I feel like there has to be faster ways to calculate things on this calculator and I am sure that many people on the thread have good tricks on how to use their calculator more effeciently.

For example, when I see a DCF model that I have to go and discount each Cash Flow back or when I have a large equation I tend to calculate the bottom denomenator of an equation, write it down, then calculate the numerator. It gets pretty annoying, I have even looked into RPN (Reverse Polish Notion) as it creates stakes and allows you to calculate things faster.

However, I am not that confident with it and there is no way I am risking using RPN on the test.

A good example: I see a DCF model with unconventional Cash Flows, which also have zero cash flows for years 1-3. I can’t stand writing all the rates down. I know what you might be thinking, there is a storage function, yes I know, but it scares me because then I have to keep track of what I keep in storage, gotta make sure I clear it, and it’s not very transparent on what number I am using.

Is there a way to calculate the discount rate and then tell the calculator to divide the numerator by that discount rate?

Maybe someone has tricks they use, maybe even one you might assume everyone knows, but maybe they don’t. Just want to find ways to use the calculator faster and more effectively.

Thanks.

#2

You should definitely go explore some of the advanaced features in the HP12C. It’s much more sophisticated than it appears…

I might be missing something here but for DCF, why aren’t you using the CFj and Nj features? This is the “slow” way of DCFs in the HP12C. How did you get through Level-1 without this? So painful doing it the long way!

CF0 = -1,000

CF1 = 0

CF2 = 0

CF3 = 500

CFj = X

i = X

f -> NVP = Answer

#3

Hey Galli,

Thanks for the response. I do use the CFj and Nj features. I was more or less giving an examples of things that I have found myself writing down–like different discount rates at each Cash Flow.

#4

Ah okay. Sorry I thought you didn’t know abou them already.

No further hints but I suspect many others have some tricks up their sleeves!