Glenn McDavid

As I wrote earlier, I have been reading Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant, by Julian Havil, which begins with a chapter about Napier and the invention of logarithms.

The historical motivation for logarithms is quite interesting. We think of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as elementary, while exponents and trigonometry are more advanced. In fact, the multiplication and division involved in the practical mathematics of c.1600, e.g. navigation and compound interest, was very time consuming. People were desperate to find a faster way.( Warning: Math content.... )And so the slide rule was invented. It just had two scales (C and D in standard terminology), but the underlying concept was established.

I wonder if I could make such a such a device and bring it to colgaffneyis camp as the latest innovation in computing technology :-)>

--A.S. Besicovitch. From Cool Math Quotes

( Warning: Math content )

A Virtual Slide Rule.

I have several real slide rules at home, and I still know how to use them. I could not afford an electronic calculator until 1976, when I got an HP-21.

Via Slashdot.

( At least, I think so )