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### 1.3 Notations Used in This Manual

This section describes the various notations that are used throughout the Calc manual.

In keystroke sequences, uppercase letters mean you must hold down the shift key while typing the letter. Keys pressed with Control held down are shown as `C-x`. Keys pressed with Meta held down are shown as `M-x`. Other notations are `RET` for the Return key, `SPC` for the space bar, `TAB` for the Tab key, `DEL` for the Delete key, and `LFD` for the Line-Feed key. The `DEL` key is called Backspace on some keyboards, it is whatever key you would use to correct a simple typing error when regularly using Emacs.

(If you don’t have the `LFD` or `TAB` keys on your keyboard, the `C-j` and `C-i` keys are equivalent to them, respectively. If you don’t have a Meta key, look for Alt or Extend Char. You can also press `ESC` or `C-[` first to get the same effect, so that `M-x`, `ESC x`, and `C-[ x` are all equivalent.)

Sometimes the `RET` key is not shown when it is “obvious” that you must press `RET` to proceed. For example, the `RET` is usually omitted in key sequences like `M-x calc-keypad RET`.

Commands are generally shown like this: `p` (`calc-precision`) or `C-x * k` (`calc-keypad`). This means that the command is normally used by pressing the `p` key or `C-x * k` key sequence, but it also has the full-name equivalent shown, e.g., `M-x calc-precision`.

Commands that correspond to functions in algebraic notation are written: `C` (`calc-cos`) [`cos`]. This means the `C` key is equivalent to `M-x calc-cos`, and that the corresponding function in an algebraic-style formula would be ‘`cos(x)`’.

A few commands don’t have key equivalents: `calc-sincos` [`sincos`].

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