[TheForge] Slide rules (was: Excessive scaling?)

[Steve Smith]

After the first problem set was graded in my freshman physics class, the 
prof leaned on his desk and said "A word about significant digits...".
He was interrupted by a front row nerd, who said "Well, if you spent 
$395 for the thing (i.e. HP35 in 1973), the tendancy is, to write down 
all the numbers!".

This was not considered an adequate defense.

Steve

Washington, Aubrey O. wrote:
> Bruce,
> I was a chemistry major for my first couple of years in college.  The rich kids had Texas Instruments SR10 calculators, which I think cost about $110 at the time.  About the only thing the SR10 would do that a slide rule wouldn't (aside from 8 places) was add and subtract.  So I just stuck with the slide rule.  That was no problem with chemistry, but it put me at a disadvantage in physics where they got real anal about large and small numbers.  The physics department had a whole room filled with Wang calculators that worked off the mainframe computer.  I had to use the Wangs for calculations I couldn't do on the slide rule.
>  
> When I was in high school, my chemistry teacher had an 8-foot long slide rule handing on the wall above the blackboard.  He called it his surfboard and used it daily to demonstrate calculations for the class.  I wish I had one of those, just for grins.  I've seen a few at antique stores over the years.
>  
> Aubrey
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Bruce Freeman
> Sent: Tue 12/12/2006 7:42 AM
> To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [TheForge] Slide rules (was: Excessive scaling?)
> 
> 
> 
> I was a graduate student and  teaching assistant in Chem 101 when
> calculators were just "replacing" slide rules.  (When I was in college,
> I couldn't AFFORD a calculator!  I used a slide rule throughout.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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