The HP50g has a total of 51 keys on the keyboard, most of which have multiple functions that can be activated with a modifier key (left shift, right shift, or ALPHA). In this document, the following conventions are used when referring to various key press combinations:

• Keys are typeset in bold
• The majority of keys will be referred to by their alphanumeric label (A through Z), unless it makes sense by context to refer to another label on the key (for example, when referring to trigonometric functions, the 'S', 'T', and 'U' keys may be referred to by their function names 'SIN', 'COS', and 'TAN', respectively).
• Number keys are referred to by their number (0 through 9 and the decimal dot), and similarly for the basic arithmetic operations of x, -, +.
• Special keys with long names are: ALPHA, ON, SPC, and ENTER.
• The keypad arrow keys are referred to by: LA = left keypad arrow, RA = right keypad arrow, UA = up keypad arrow, DA = down keypad arrow.
• The shifted keys are LS = left shift and RS = right shift.
• The backspace key (also labeled 'DEL' and 'CLEAR') is BS.

In order to reference a series of keys to be pressed in succession, a dash (-) will separate the keys. Furthermore, since some key combinations require holding a key while pressing another, this is denoted by a superscript ^hold.

Here are some example key combinations:

LS-N = left shift key followed by the 'N' key, which on the keyboard refers to the 'PRG' menu,

RS^hold-A = while holding right shift key, press the 'A' key,

ON^hold-A^hold-C = press and hold the 'ON' key, then press and hold the 'A' key, and finally press the 'C' key.