Merlin program

Turn a Sharp EL-512 calculator into a Merlin astrocomputer

These are the programs to turn a Sharp EL-512 calculator into a Merlin astrocomputer. You press the keys as shown and the calculator displays a number.

For clarity key strokes are formatted with a fixed font (and grey background), while display content is in italics. Please read the notes at the end of this page before proceeding to read and enter the Merlin program.

Set memories:

(7) 7.7	(8) 8.8	(9) 9.9
	(5) 5.5	(6) 0.6
(1) 1.1	(2) 2.2	(3) 3.3

2nd TAB 4 DEG in display

[1:] uses (3) (5) (7) (9)

2nd LRN	0.0000
[1:]	″
>DEG	″
X	″
1 5	15
=	0.0000
x>M	″
2nd ↕	″
÷	″
2 4	24
+	0.0000
Kn 3	3.3000
+	″
Kn 9	9.9000
=	13.2000
Kn 7	101.6400
M+	″
2nd ↕	9.9000
1	1
Kn 5	5.5000
M+	″
2nd LRN	0.0000

Test [1:] and set (M)

5 0 3 . 2 1	503.21
[1:]	5.5000
RM	7818.8815

[2:] uses (6) (8) (M)
(M) = 7818.881458

2nd LRN	0.0000
[2:]	″
+/-	-0.0000
M+	0.0000
2nd ↕	″
—	″
Kn 8	8.8000
2nd ↕	0.0000
=	8.8000
2nd STO 4	″
2nd ↕	0.0000
—	″
Kn 4	8.8000
sin	0.1530
(	0.0000
1 9 1 4	1914
+	1.9140
Kn 4	8.8000
cos	0.9882
÷	″
2 5	25
=	-0.2989
X	″
cos	1.0000
+/-	-1.0000
2nd ↕	-0.2989
sin	-0.0052
Kn 6	-0.0031
2nd >rθ	1.0000
2nd ↕	-179.8207
M+	″
sin	-0.0031
X	″
Kn 6	0.6000
2nd cos-1	53.1301
tan	1.3333
+/-	-1.3333
=	0.0042
2nd tan-1	0.2391
2nd STO 4	″
2nd LRN	0.0000

Test [2:] set (4) and (M)

5 0 3 . 2 1	503.21
[1:]	5.5000
[2:]	52.2597
RM	7737.6906
C.CE Kn 4	52.2597

[3:] uses (1) (2) (4) (M)
(4) = 52.25967697
(M) = 7737.690566

2nd LRN	0.0000
2nd [3:]	″
RM	7737.6906
+	″
Kn 2	2.2000
>DEG	2.3333
=	7740.0239
x>M	″
cos	-1.0000
X	″
Kn 1	1.1000
>DEG	1.1667
sin	0.0204
—	-0.0204
Kn 1	1.1000
>DEG	1.1667
cos	0.9998
X	″
Kn 4	52.2597
tan	1.2920
+	-1.3121
RM	7740.0239
sin	-0.0004
2nd >rθ	1.3121
x>M	″
1 8 0	180
=	0.0182
2nd LRN	0.0000

[4:] uses (4) = 52.25967697
and (M) = 1.312061614

2nd LRN	0.0000
2nd [4:]	″
>DEG	″
—	″
(	″
RM	1.3121
X	″
Kn 4	52.2597
cos	0.6121
)	0.8031
2nd cos-1	36.5737
2nd >DMS	36.3425
x>M	″
>DEG	36.5737
=	-36.5737
X	″
6 0	60
=	-2194.4192
2nd LRN	0.0000

FINAL FULL TEST
(1)-(3) and (5)-(9) as above
5 0 3 . 2 1	503.21
[1:]	5.5000
[2:]	52.2597
2nd [3:]	0.0182
M+	″
2nd [4:]	-2126.8959
M+	″
RM	-2091.6043
~ OFF ~

You will need current Year No and (8) No. See also the page "Merlin update to 2030"

Year	Year No	(8) No
2012	1.519	103.119
13	1.276	103.136
14	1.035	103.153
15	0.792	103.17
2016	1.549	103.187
17	1.306	103.205
18	1.063	103.222
19	0.82	103.239
2020	1.577	103.256
21	1.335	103.273
22	1.093	103.291
23	0.851	103.308
2024	1.609	103.325
25	1.367	103.342
26	1.126	103.359
27	0.885	103.376
2028	1.644	103.394
29	1.402	103.411
30	1.16	103.428

NOTES

• DEG must always be showing in the display (not RAD or GRAD). Use 2nd DRG to correct it. STAT must not be showing - switch OFF and on (the red C.CE key) and it will be gone.
• 2nd is the yellow key at top left. 2nd ↕ means the second function of the Kn key.
• (6) means memory 6. To store 0.6 in (6), key . 6 to display 0.6 and then key 2nd STO 6.
• To check the contents of (6) key C.CE Kn 6.
• Keying Kn 6 without first pressing the red C.CE key will automatically multiply the contents of (6) by whatever is in the display.
• (M) is memory M. x>M stores into it and RM recalls it.
• <2nd Tab 4 sets the display to four decimal places.
• [1:] is the key in the top row accessing program 1. 2nd LRN [1:] clears anything in program No 1 and readies the machine to learn a new program (or "formula") as program 1.
• The dot at the top of the display indicates which program has just run or is being entered in learn mode.
• Before beginning, key 2nd LRN then [1:] [2:] 2nd [3:] 2nd [4:] to clear all four program areas.
• As you enter a program, the machine accepts each step and simultaneously executes it, showing the result. If it shows something different from the listed value, you have made an entry mistake - start again with that program.
• After all steps of a program are in, 2nd LRN tells the machine the program has ended and switches to normal run mode. Check the program with the tests in the case of [1:] and [2:] and proceed to enter the next program.
• After all four programs are stored, run the final full test.
• The memories must be set as shown to get the results as shown. For [2:], [3:], [4:], those long numbers in memories (4) and (M) are set by the previous program or program check.
• It is convenient to enter the four programs in numerical order without touching anything (except the test) between programs. If you make a mistake entering, say, [3:] memories (4) and (M) and then enter [3:] again.
• The programs use up the whole calculator storage so if you get to the end and the last step won't go in, it means you have somewhere mistakenly entered an extra step. It could be anywhere so you probably have to clear all programs and begin again.