INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING BFCDEMO.EXE


1.  If you are reading this using Windows Notepad, make sure you have activated Word Wrap (from the Edit menu).
    It might be a good idea to print out these instructions so that you can have them to hand when following them.


2.  THE BFC (BIG FRIENDLY CALCULATOR) will run on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT and all later versions of Windows.
    It will not run on Windows 3.1



INSTALLING THE BFC

3.  Create a new folder on your Desktop or on your Hard Disk.  Give the folder a meaningful name e.g. "BFC download".
    NOTE: To create a new folder on your Desktop, RIGHT-CLICK on the Desktop with your mouse and then from the pop-up menu select NEW, FOLDER.  
    Note: To create a new folder on your Hard Disk, DOUBLE-CLICK on "My Computer" and then DOUBLE-CLICK on "Hard Disk".  A window should open, displaying the contents of your Hard Disk.  From the FILE menu select NEW, FOLDER.


4.  Download the file BFCDEMO.EXE from numeracysoftware.com by RIGHT-CLICKING on the blue hyperlink and selecting SAVE TARGET AS from the pop-up menu.  Download the file into the folder you created in Step 3 above.  It is quite a large file and so may take quite a few minutes to download.


5.  When you have downloaded the file, open the folder you saved it in (by DOUBLE-CLICKING on the folder).  
    Then DOUBLE-CLICK on BFCDEMO.EXE to "unpack" the files in the package.  
    Click on START when the "Extracting Files" dialogue box appears.  
    Click on OK when the "Finished" message box appears.
    Your folder should now have four new files in it; BFCbl1.CAB, BFCbl2.CAB, SETUP.EXE AND SETUP.LST


6.  To install THE BFC, simply DOUBLE-CLICK on SETUP.EXE and follow the instructions.



POSSIBLE INSTALLATION PROBLEMS

7.  On some computers you may get a warning message during installation telling you that an existing file on your computer is about to be replaced by an older file.  
    The warning message also suggests that you keep the existing (newer) file.  
    ALWAYS KEEP THE EXISTING (NEWER) FILE otherwise software on your computer may not run properly.



INSTALLING ON OTHER COMPUTERS

8.  To install THE BFC you need the four files BFCbl1.CAB, BFCbl2.CAB, SETUP.EXE AND SETUP.LST.  These can be copied onto 2 floppy disks and transferred onto other computers.  Copy BFCbl1.CAB, SETUP.EXE AND SETUP.LST onto the first disk, and BFCbl2.CAB onto the second.  Then all you have to do is create a new folder on other computers (just like you did in step 3 above) and copy the four files from the floppies to the new folder.  Then DOUBLE-CLICK on SETUP.EXE (as in step 6 above) to install Starters.



REMOVING THE BFC

9.  From the START menu select SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL.  The Control Panel window should appear.  
    DOUBLE-CLICK on ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS to display a list of programs.
    Select THE BFC from the list.
    Click on the ADD/REMOVE button and follow the instructions.



USING THE BFC

10. Click on START, PROGRAMS, THE BFC, THE BFC - BLUE DEMO or THE BFC - RED DEMO


11. THE BFC is designed to be used by the teacher with whole classes of pupils in the primary school to demonstrate various aspects of using an electronic calculator effectively and appropriately.  Apart from using it to demonstrate the calculation of various pieces of arithmetic you could use it for things such as:

Counting on from zero:  Press 1 + = = = = =

Counting on from other numbers:  Press 20 + = = = = = 

Counting back:  Press 100 - 5 = = = = =

Even numbers:  Press 2 + = = = = =

Odd numbers:  Press 1 + 2 = = = = =

Multiples of any number:  7 + = = = = =

Repeated doubling:  2 x = = = = =

Repeated halving:  100 / 2 = = = = =

Conversion of fractions into decimals

Patterns when multiplying by 10, 100 etc.
     3 x 10 =
     3 x 100 =
     3 x 1000 =
     3 x 10000 =

Patterns when dividing by 10, 100 etc.
     7 / 10 =
     7 / 100 =
     7 / 1000 =
     7 / 10000 =


In all cases don't forget to use the 'LIST' button to see all of your calculations, sequences and number patterns.



I hope you and your pupils enjoy using THE BFC.
Let me know how you get on and also let me know if you find any bugs in the program.

If you would like to purchase a fully-working version of THE BFC then it costs only £25 for a school site license.  For this price you get THE BFC - BLUE and THE BFC - RED.


www.numeracysoftware.com
feedback@numeracysoftware.com