What is stack overflow?
Look at the following simple calculation: 3 × (4 – (5 × (6 + 7)))
(first work the calculation in your head or on paper to figure out the most natural way to do it)
Doing this calculation in a naive left-to-right way using a classic 4‑level stack RPN calculator
will result in the wrong answer because the moment ENTER↑ is
pressed for the fourth time (without a two-number operation in-between) the first number
on the stack (3) will be lost from the T-register (for details see
Appendix A of my RPN Tutorial). Before starting the calculation,
for convenience first open the HP‑35 SOS
in a separate window and don’t forget to press the
CLR‑key even if the red LED is already on!
3 ENTER↑ 4 ENTER↑ 5 ENTER↑ 6 ENTER↑ 7 + × – × Answer: -244 Wrong!
Classic 4‑level stack RPN calculators will give no warning that the answer above is flawed, but in my opinion they should. My HP‑35 SOS shows one way in which this could be achieved: before starting a calculation like the one above in which you would like to be warned of stack overflow, it is important to first press the CLR‑key (not the CLx‑key!): The stack will be cleared and the red LED labelled NO lights up; as long as there is no stack overflow the red LED will remain on; as soon as the stack overflows the red LED will go out to warn you that your answer will not be correct. Try it on the above calculation, and you’ll see that the red LED goes out as soon as you press ENTER↑ for the fourth time!
And then try the following correct ways to do the calculation; you’ll see that the red LED will stay on (press the CLR‑key before starting each new calculation):
4 ENTER↑ 5 ENTER↑ 6 ENTER↑ 7 + × – 3 × Answer: -183
5 ENTER↑ 6 ENTER↑ 7
+ × 4 x
y – 3 ×
Answer: -183
The next line shows the preferred way: start from within the innermost pair of parentheses:
6 ENTER↑ 7
+ 5 × 4 xy – 3 ×
Answer: -183
How to prevent stack overflow?
Just remember two simple rules of thumb to keep the chances for the occurrence of
stack overflow as slim as possible:
- Always start calculations with nested parentheses from within the innermost pair of parentheses.
- Don’t use ENTER↑ after each number you ‘enter’ into your calculation. Only use ENTER↑ to separate two numbers keyed-in one after the other without an operation in-between. Even use this method in case your RPN calculator allows the use of ENTER after each number keyed in (e.g. the HP RPN graphing calculators including the HP Prime and the models with Entry-RPN like the HP 20b and HP 30b), if only to keep you from learning bad habits.