Anyone help… My calculator keeps giving me wrong answers. I have tried all the possible settings. Even the simplest TVM answers are outrightly wrong. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong. Pls help!!!
erice, you’ll get more informed responses and assistance if you post specific issues. Show us a few problems you tried to solve, the correct answers, and what your calculator displayed.
E.G. N=15 I/Y=7 PMT=150 CPT -FV I am getting $3,760.20, Correct answer should be $3,769.35 OR N=4 I/Y=9 PMT=100 CPT - PV Am getting $2339.85 …correct answer, $323.97 Am very wrong somewhere…
retry after clearing your TVM registers (2nd CLR TVM) - You seem to have 2177.86 stuck in your PV somehow (from a previous calculation,perhaps)
Hi, In the first problem try do put PV = 0, because the TVM formula on the calculator assumes that are 5 variables for TVM problems, and in that specific case you´re not interested in PV, right? In te other one try FV = 0, because that doesn´t interest you… I know there´s a way to configure the calculator in a way that the formulas for TVM assume by default that the “free variable” (ie the one you´re not using) is always 0, and so you don´t need the procedure I described above. Hope it helps…
[2nd] [CLR TVM] This will be your best friend during the exam. Guaranteed.
Many thanks. You have been very helpful.
also, make sure your periods per year (P/Y) is set how you want it. [2nd] [P/Y]
Actually, make sure you set it to one period per year: [2nd] [P/Y] [1] [ENTER] 
From a use of calculator perspective - it might be better never to change/use the 2nd P/Y and change it at all. You can pretty much achieve the same calculation keeping the P/Y = 1 always Change I/Y = Annual I/Y / # of Periods per year. So if Annual I/Y = 6% and you are interested in quarterly ==> I/Y = 1.5% Change N = # of Years * Periods per year. If N=5 years, Quarterly ===> N (Input) = 20. This would give the same result. This also ensures you do not have to do a RESET and lose your # of decimals precision. At this point, between problems ===> you would still need to a. Do 2nd [CLR TVM], [2nd][CLR WORK] --> To remove old values on the registers, if any. b. Do a [2nd][PMT][2nd][SET] to change from BGN to END mode, if required. --> i.e. if the previous problem involved an Annuity Due (Immediate payment) kind of question. HTH CP
I took an actuarial exam in May, and you would be surprised at the amount of people who blew a ton of points because they did not remember to set the “BEG/END” correctly for each problem. Follow cpk123’s advice - don’t let the calculator beat you, the test is enough as it is! =)