Stores a value to a variable.
value→variable
Menu Location
Press the STO> key to insert →.
This command works on all calculators.
1 byte
The → operator assigns a value to a variable.
Initially, a variable such as 'x', 'lastname', or 'cube' is undefined. When used in an expression, they will be treated as unknowns: 3*x-x may be simplified to 2*x, but will otherwise be left alone.
Once a value is assigned to a variable, that value will be substituted for the variable every time you use it. For example, you might store 5→x. Now, if you write 3*x-x, the answer won't be 2*x, but 10.
Any kind of value — a simple number, an expression, a string, list, or matrix, or even a function can be stored to a variable with →. The following are all valid:
:5→x
5
:"Alighieri"→lastname
"Alighieri"
:n^3→cube(n)
Done
As a special case, you can even store to a single element of a list or matrix. For example:
:{1,2,3,4,5}→list
{1 2 3 4 5}
:99→list[3]
99
:list
{1 2 99 4 5}
Advanced Uses
Using the # (indirection) operator, you can store a value to a variable given its name, in a string.
Optimization
There are alternatives to → such as Define or CopyVar; they have their uses in special situations, but → is better (smaller and easier to understand) in other cases.
Error Conditions
190 - Circular definition happens when an undefined variable is given a value in terms of itself (e.g. x+1→x).
Related Commands
- # (indirection)
- Define
- DelVar