Beginning with the Summer, 2004 Evaluating Examination, the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada has introduced a change regarding the use of calculators for all written examinations. As a result, PEBC will provide each candidate for the Fall, 2004 Qualifying Examination-Part I (and all future written examinations) with a standardized model, scientific calculator, for personal use during the examination. Notification of this intended change is stated in the 2004 Qualifying Examination Information Booklet.
Careful consideration has been given to ensure that the chosen calculator model is suitable for the calculations needed for PEBC examinations and that it is straightforward to operate, using the instruction material provided. This calculator has been pretested previously, by both Canadian and internationally trained pharmacist candidate groups, with very satisfactory feedback.
Instructional material (including the specific make and model, layout, and basic instructions for use) is enclosed in your ID/Card of Admission information package, to assist you in familiarizing yourself with this calculator in advance of the examination date. This same information will also be printed at the front of all Examination booklets. Calculators will be distributed to candidates at their desks, along with pencils and answer sheets, before the examination starts.
Please note that no additional time (for “practice”) will be given to the examination administration. PEBC examination calculations do not require complex operations on the calculator, even though the calculator has many advanced capabilities.
The Pharmacy Examining Board anticipates that provision of this calculator to all candidates taking its examinations will eliminate security concerns associated with programmable personal calculators, and will enhance consistency for examinations.
Basic instructions for calculator use
To turn on calculator, press ON/C (on/clear) key (at top right corner, framed in red).
To turn off calculator, first press 2ndF key(circle at top left corner), then press ON/C key.
Initial setup (preset for this exam), use Normal Mode selection, that is, to perform arithmetic and function calculations: first press 2ndF (top left corner) key, then press MODE (key second from left which says “DRG”), then press ZERO key (bottom left corner).
To clear the visual display window, you have 2 choices of clearing methods:
1. Press ON/C (on/clear) key (top right corner, framed in red).
OR:
2. First press 2ndF (top left corner) key, then press CA
(second from top right) key.
Arithmetic operations (use for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division):
Press desired number, then operation sign, then desired number,
then ” = ” (bottom right) eg. 56 X 2 = (window shows answer of 112)
To use a function shown in YELLOW colour above a key, first press 2ndF key (circle at top left corner). Note: the location of these second functions may differ from some other models.
eg. Log and Ln operations: (using 2nd F yellow keys above “1” and “2” keys respectively).
eg. to calculate ln (5.7)
Press 2ndF (circle key, top left), then “ln/2″ key, then desired
number, then ” = ” “2ndF” “ln/2” “5.7” “=” (window shows
answer of 1.740466175)
eg. Antilog (10x) function: (using 2nd F yellow key above “0” key (bottom left corner)
Press 2ndF (circle key, top left), then “0” key (with 10x above
it), then desired number, then ” =”
To Edit (i.e. used if you want to change an entry), press either arrow key (top row, centre) to move the cursor forward or back.
To delete a number, move the cursor to the number you wish
to delete, then press DEL key (near top right).
To insert a number, move the cursor to the place immediately
after where you wish to insert, then enter (type) the number.
To Store and Recall Memory (using set of 3 keys “RCL” “STO” and “M+” shown in white box on right side of third row of keys):
Press desired number or operation, then “STO” and “M+” to store
in the memory. eg. ON/C 8 X 2 STO M+ [stores answer of 16 in
memory]
Press desired number or operation, then “RCL” and “M+” to recall
from the memory. eg. 24 ÷ RCL M+ = [gives an answer of 1.5 to
the question 24 ÷ (8X2) ]