Quick answers to the weirdest (and most common) office questions

Since I took over purchasing in 2020, I've fielded everything from "how do I fix my calculator?" to "can we print paper clips?" Here are the five I get asked most – and the answers I wish I'd had ready.

1. How do I change my Casio calculator to decimal mode?

This is probably the single most common question I get from our engineering and finance teams. If your Casio scientific calculator is showing results as fractions or in scientific notation, here's what to do:

Press SHIFT then MODE (SETUP). Scroll down to Input/Output (usually option 1). Select LineIO (Linear Input/Output) – that forces decimal output. Alternatively, after a calculation press S⇔D to toggle between fraction and decimal. If you need it permanently in decimal mode, set the display to Norm1 or Norm2 under the same menu.

A trick I learned after a $2,400 mistake: always check the mode before a high-stakes calculation. The 'what are the odds?' moment caught me once – I knew I should verify, thought 'it's fine,' and the result came out as a fraction that I misread. 5 seconds of checking beats 5 days of rework.

2. Is the Casio CA53W calculator watch practical for everyday office use?

I want to say it's a novelty, but honestly, it's surprisingly useful for quick calculations during meetings when you don't want to pull out your phone. The CA53W has a basic 8-digit calculator, stopwatch, and dual-time display. I ordered a dozen for our field service team last year – they use them for on-the-spot quantity checks.

That said, don't expect it to replace a full scientific calculator. The keys are tiny, and the display is limited. It's best for addition/subtraction/multiplication. If you're doing anything more complex, stick with a fx-991EX. My experience is based on about 50 units across two departments – if you're buying for a lab setting, your mileage may vary.

3. What size paper clips should I order for general office use?

This seems obvious until you realize there are like six sizes and half of them don't hold more than 10 sheets. For general admin work, I standardize on #1 (1.75 inch / 44mm) regular clips. They handle 20–30 pages without distortion. For thicker documents (reports, proposals), go with #3 (2.75 inch / 70mm) jumbo clips.

I learned the hard way: saved $12 once by ordering the cheapest bulk #0 clips. Ended up with a dozen complaints from accounting about documents coming apart. The 'budget vendor' choice looked smart until we had re-sort everything. Net loss? About $80 in staff time. Now I always test samples before committing to a bulk order – that 10-minute check has saved us thousands.

4. Can the Bambu Lab P1S 3D printer handle office prototyping?

Short answer: yes, but with caveats. We brought a P1S into our design department last year for rapid prototyping. It prints PLA, PETG, ABS, and TPU up to 256×256×256 mm. The print quality is impressive out of the box – layer resolution down to 0.04mm if you calibrate properly.

However, don't expect it to run silently in an open-plan office. The fans and motion are noticeable. We had to relocate ours to a small equipment room. Also, ventilation matters – ABS fumes aren't office-friendly. If I were doing it again, I'd plan the workspace first before purchasing. Every cost analysis pointed to the cheaper option, but something felt off about their support. Turns out 'slow to reply' was a preview of 'slow to deliver.'

5. How do you make a paper dart with sticky notes?

Every office has that one person who can launch a sticky-note dart across the room. Here's the basic method our team uses for morale events:

  1. Take one sticky note (3×3 inch works best). Fold it in half lengthwise with the sticky edge on the outside.
  2. Fold the top two corners down to the center crease to form a point.
  3. Fold the entire thing in half along the original crease (sticky side out).
  4. Fold down each wing to create the dart shape – align the wing edge with the bottom of the dart.
  5. Add a small weight (a paper clip folded onto the nose) for stability.

Pro tip from our office: use a fresh sticky note – the stickiness gives just enough drag to keep it stable in flight. I can only speak to our 3-location experience; if you're in a high-humidity environment, the paper may curl and the dart won't fly straight.

Oh, and if you're planning a competition, set rules about not aiming at people. That 'fun idea' went wrong once when a dart hit someone's coffee mug. $30 replacement, and I had to buy a new mug out of my own pocket. Prevention over cure, remember?

These answers are based on my 5 years as an office administrator handling orders for 400 employees across three locations. Pricing and availability as of April 2025 – always double-check current specs before purchasing.