cally
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:53 PM
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Poll question: Who knows how to use a slide rule? |
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Yep, this is for us nerds.
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bigwillq
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:55 PM
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1. I bet arwalden does!!! |
arwalden
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:11 PM
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15. They Make My Palms Sweat... Hubba-hubba! |
hlthe2b
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:55 PM
Response to Original message |
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:evilgrin:
(actually they DO, in some cultures. I've seen Arabs run through a series of complex figures, faster than a calculator on one)
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fr3
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:57 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
5. dont you mean "abaci rule"? |
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Used a slip stick when I was in 5th grade.
The teacher took it away from me since she said it gave me an unfair advantage.
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Dudley_DUright
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:56 PM
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3. I remember taking a summer school course back in Jr. High |
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on how to use one, but fortunately for me, calculators were just then becoming affordable and easily available. Now I am a calculator cripple and could not do long division to save my life (frankly I find calculus much easier).
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HereSince1628
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:57 PM
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4. What I hated was approximating the last digits... |
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calculators, spreadsheets, math programs are so much easier and do so so much more...my slide rule is part of my personal archive of now useless educational artifacts.
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flamingyouth
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Fri Aug-06-04 08:59 PM
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cally
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:00 PM
Response to Original message |
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I do know how to use one, but not well. My Dad had a tie clip that was a slide rule. He tells me that he could visualize a slide rule and solve most problems. He now uses a calculator.
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donco6
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:02 PM
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8. I learned, but I'm old and forgetful. eom |
bleedingheart
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:04 PM
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9. I learned in engineering school |
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ah the memories....
I even got a pocket protector when I went to college....
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kodi
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:06 PM
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still have mine and when i subbed at a high school math class this past year brought it with me and showed the 15 year olds how to use it.
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PittPoliSci
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:07 PM
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even though I never even had to use that for the stuff you need a slide ruler for.
woohoo! college algebra and that was it for me!
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bobbieinok
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:08 PM
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12. still remember all the cool kids in hi-school + college who carried one |
starroute
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:09 PM
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13. I had to use one for AP chemistry in high school |
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But that was back in the old days.
I actually have two sliderules. One cheap one I bought for the class and a better-quality one in a leather case that a math teacher friend of my parents gave me. They're still kicking around somewhere.
When my kids were little and I read them the Heinlein juvenile "Red Planet," they had no trouble with the futuristic stuff but I had to explain what a sliderule was. I dug mine out to show them and they were fascinated by the retro-tech.
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politicat
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:14 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
16. I've got my grandfather's. |
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He taught me to use it before I started school.
He also taught me a lot of numbers games. I can do most complex "consumer math" in my head - multiplying 3 digit numbers, long division of decimals (handy for mileage), percentages of percentages - because of those early tricks.
He was an electrician who didn't know how to relate to a fairly quiet, very curious little girl... so he taught her math. I'm eternally grateful that he did.
Pcat
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Kolesar
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:10 PM
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14. I still use logarithms at work |
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A vendor gave me a slide rule that does power calculations. I can use it to calculate things such as P(dBm) = 10*log(P1/Po).
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Bertha Venation
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:18 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
18. Will that calculation tell me how many |
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ounces of water I'll have to squirt at Daddy The Cat before he will leave us alone at dinner?
No?
Then I'm clueless. Although it does sound really cool.
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Bertha Venation
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:16 PM
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17. I have always wanted to know. But I REALLY wanted to learn after I saw |
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"Apollo 13." You know the scene I mean? Hilarious.
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Briarius
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:18 PM
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19. I'm 23 and I know how! |
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just cause I'm a geek I picked up a book at a hamfest just so I could learn. I don't use it very much, but I could if I had to.
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cally
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:29 PM
Response to Reply #19 |
20. I read Sci Fi sometimes |
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and it makes me feel safer that folks know how to use the old technology. Slide Rules do work well.
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DemoTex
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:40 PM
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21. I'm a geek. Georgia Tech graduate. Slide rule on belt! Pocker-protector! |
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Edited on Fri Aug-06-04 09:42 PM by DemoTex
I am pretty good at calculus too. For an old fart!
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hunter
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:44 PM
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It was almost like sex, at least it was before I knew anything about sex.
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MrSandman
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Fri Aug-06-04 09:46 PM
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23. I learned the SR and abacus... |
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Haven't used either in years.
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Tue May 07th 2024, 07:32 AM
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