Calculator Tips & Tricks: HP12C

Inspired by a previous post regarding the BA calculator, I thought I’d start this thread for the HP12C. Please add your own tip or trick below. It doesn’t matter which level you are sitting for, as most tricks should apply to all of them.

I’ll start with the tip for computing the present value of a series of irregular cash flows (this may be well known to some, but still…).

For example, to get the present value of the following series: CF_0 = -50, CF_1 = 20, CF_2 = 15, CF_3 = 40, CF_4 = 12, at a 6% discount rate, in your HP12C, enter:

50 [CHS] [g] [CF0]
20 [g] [CFj]
15 [g] [CFj]
40 [g] [CFj]
12 [g] [CFj]
6 [i]
[f] [NPV]

You should get 25.31 as a result