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Download Reducing number entry errors: solving a widespread, serious problem
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System Creatinine clearance calculator Search engine Office software Example Xeloda 71CRCL Value 123 . . Wolfram Alpha Microsoft Word tools calculate Graseby 3400 6 1 5 1 23 Mobile phone Casio HS-8V(Thimbleby, 2005) iPhone DrugInfusion Infusion pump Graseby 500 1 2 Maths package Spreadsheet Wolfram Mathematica Microsoft Excel 0 36 0 Spreadsheet Sun OpenOffice Infusion pump Handheld calculator 1 3 . . . . 1 2 01/02/03 . . Rationale Despite the decimal point on the keypad, all data entry silently ignores it. Treated as 1 × 2 × 3 Treated as 1 2 + 0 3 . . . .. . . Dot zeros the decimal part, so 1 2 enters 1 0, then the 3 updates it to 1 3 (or 1 30 and 1 300 depending on mode) Second and subsequent decimal points are ignored Second decimal point terminates number Discards everything after first decimal digit Treated as 1 2 × 3 Converted to a string, which may be treated as zero Converted to a date — ambiguously, 1st February, 2nd January, 3rd February, 1901, 2001. . . , etc . . 3 on various systems and devices. Note Table 2: Illustrative results from keying 1 2 how different rules can produce the same result (e.g., iPhone DrugInfusion and Graseby 500) that for other input (e.g., 1 2 3 4 ) would give different results. . . 19
