Programming 18-1
18
Programming 
Introduction
This chapter describes how to program using the hp 
39gs. In this chapter you’ll learn about:
• using the Program catalog to create and edit 
programs
• programming commands
• storing and retrieving variables in programs
• programming variables.
HINT
More information on programming, including examples 
and special tools, can be found at HP’s calculators web 
site:
http://www.hp.com/calculators
The Contents of a 
Program
An HP 39gs program contains a sequence of numbers, 
mathematical expressions, and commands that execute 
automatically to perform a task.
These items are separated by a colon ( : ). Commands 
that take multiple arguments have those arguments 
separated by a semicolon ( ; ). For example,
PIXON xposition;yposition:
Structured 
Programming
Inside a program you can use branching structures to 
control the execution flow. You can take advantage of 
structured programming by creating building-block 
programs. Each building-block program stands 
alone—and it can be called from other programs. Note: 
If a program has a space in its name then you have to put 
quotes around it when you want to run it.
HP 39gs English.book  Page 1  Wednesday, December 7, 2005  11:24 PM