Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Slide Rule

http://www.sciencemusings.com/blog/images/sliderule.jpg

This is a slide rule. This was used before the invention of a calculator. It could do almost all math function, it just took a very long time to complete.

1 comment:

  1. It was moving to see your photograph of the slide rule. I believe I used this same slide rule in my high school chemistry class. The use of calculators was considered cheating in chemistry class but if you could master the slide rule, you could master chemistry. Sliderules are as challenging to use as they appear to be. There is a circular sliderule in my desk drawer that of course has little value in today's world of graphing calculators. My circular sliderule is an artistic symbol of the evolution of scientific problem-solving. I take it out of the drawer from time to time to admire it's fascinating shape and potential. Maybe I will take my slide rule to the local "Antique Roadshow" episode and discover it is worth millions of dollars. I better keep it tucked safely in my desk drawer.

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