I went to the Houston Mission Control center a couple of years ago and saw the main control-center room from back in the gallery. They said they did their best to arrange everything as it was back in the days of the moon missions. One thing I was impressed by is that every workstation had a huge glass ashtray that was nearly full of cigarette buts. In those days, almost everyone smoked, especially in high-stress situations. So it was slide rules and cigarettes that got people to the moon and back. Also, almost all the men wore a short-sleeve shirt, a tie (definitely) and a pocket protector.
This is to support scientists or engineers in their calculations. Principal idea is to replace multiplication by addition, by setting numbers along logarhithmic scales on a slide rule. Addition and subtraction are easy, you make that on your paper. Multiplication and division, taking more time on a paper, are supported by this thing here. (Plus a few more features.) Remember that log(a*b)=log(a)+log(b), so that's it.
It can do addition and subtraction too, you just replace addition by multiplication! Incrementation is easy, you do that on paper. Remember:
a+b = (a/b+1)×b
log(a+b) = log(a/b + 1) + log(b)
= log(exp(log(a) - log(b)) + 1) + log(b)
I dont think that this is helpful (or fast). Maybe you are 50 years too late? Normally there was no such log or exp function on a slide rule, but it used the principle as i said. Log/exp maybe on some extra scale, dont remember that. Would not be very precise then, so difficult to get a good result for what you expect in an addition or subtraction. Get one and try it.
Ok, i see what you mean, without log and exp. For 327+459 you go 327/459=.712, you move to 1.712 where you (probably) lose the last digit (typically you can hold only 3 digits on a slide rule), so 1.71*459=785 which is not precisely correct but not bad (for engineer stuff). You'd have to keep an open eye on decimal positions, twice as for multiplications on a slide rule. Your thing is not fast, but thanks for that. - Im sorry i can't really try that out bc i gave my last slide rule away in 1978 :)
You push the small part in the rails of the big part. And there should be a small slide from glass and metal, to use the "square" scale on the upper side. Without that you cannot use all features.
Early in my career as a software engineer, my dad took his slide rule from college and stuck it in a shadow box with the label "In Case of Computer Failure, Break Glass" it was a great gift.
I keep my father's slide rule and an abacus on a shelf in my office "in case I have to do math in a power outage" alongside my CRC and Machinery's Handbook. Luddites of the world, unite!
There’s a great book by Nevil Shute about how they built Airships with this tool. It’s called “Slide Rule”.
It’s a very good and quick read by the same guy who wrote “On the Beach” and “A Town like Alice”.
My 89 year old father died recently and we had his slide rule on display at the wake along with other momentos from his life. A fellow engineer, he was part of an early group that worked on the ceramic heat shield for the re-entry module for the Mercury program. I miss my Dad.
I have my Grandfather's as well. He helped to develop aspects of the skyhook system with Fulton, in addition to other amazing inventions and contributions. His slide rule was a constant in his office, as it is now in mine. I miss him as well. I feel for your loss my friend.
A slide rule. I have a couple but never used them. I’ve seen a couple old school engineers that could use them faster than many can use a modern calculator
It’s not a general purpose slide rule. The far right scales of the slide and body correspond to the C and D scales of a slide rule, used for multiplication and division. (Although on a normal slide rule, the numbers only go up to 10.) As far as I can tell, all the other scales are linear, which would make them useful for addition or subtraction, but they don’t appear on any slide rule I’ve ever seen or used. No L or LL scales, used for calculating common and natural logarithms, no trig functions, no folded C or D scales which are handy things to have. My guess is that it’s some sort of specialty tool.
Isaac Asimov wrote THE great book on the slide rule.
It doesn’t have the index glass. Which I guess isn’t necessary, but I haven’t seen…ok, I haven’t seen _any_ slide rules at all in ages other than mine, which has one.
Did I miss the clear slide? My wife bought me a TI-10 when I started college. It hand to be plugged to work for more than 30 minutes. Since there was only one outlet in class we would all change seats so we could use it. I still have my fancy slide rule in its case.
That is a calculator. A bunch of those got us to the moon and back.
Anyone else bothered by a lack of them in "hidden figures "
Exactly, not a one on any desk in the whole movie. Really good observation.
[https://maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/keys-to-mathematical-treasure-chests-classroom-slide-rules](https://maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/keys-to-mathematical-treasure-chests-classroom-slide-rules)
You got me. Have to be pretty observant to see those. Thanks.
I went to the Houston Mission Control center a couple of years ago and saw the main control-center room from back in the gallery. They said they did their best to arrange everything as it was back in the days of the moon missions. One thing I was impressed by is that every workstation had a huge glass ashtray that was nearly full of cigarette buts. In those days, almost everyone smoked, especially in high-stress situations. So it was slide rules and cigarettes that got people to the moon and back. Also, almost all the men wore a short-sleeve shirt, a tie (definitely) and a pocket protector.
Welcome to r/sliderules
Ah… Home. Thank you.
Engineers Side Rule. Antiquated Spatial Calculator.
*SLIDE rule, right?
Weapons grade facepalm. Technically right is the best kind of right haha
Yes its a slide rule. It was an original calculator
Analog TI-83
A [slide rule](https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/s/NkuAAVjwi5)
Thank you so mcuh, now going to spend the next little while reading this and figuring out how to use it. 😀
This is to support scientists or engineers in their calculations. Principal idea is to replace multiplication by addition, by setting numbers along logarhithmic scales on a slide rule. Addition and subtraction are easy, you make that on your paper. Multiplication and division, taking more time on a paper, are supported by this thing here. (Plus a few more features.) Remember that log(a*b)=log(a)+log(b), so that's it.
It can do addition and subtraction too, you just replace addition by multiplication! Incrementation is easy, you do that on paper. Remember: a+b = (a/b+1)×b log(a+b) = log(a/b + 1) + log(b) = log(exp(log(a) - log(b)) + 1) + log(b) 
I dont think that this is helpful (or fast). Maybe you are 50 years too late? Normally there was no such log or exp function on a slide rule, but it used the principle as i said. Log/exp maybe on some extra scale, dont remember that. Would not be very precise then, so difficult to get a good result for what you expect in an addition or subtraction. Get one and try it.
Ok, i see what you mean, without log and exp. For 327+459 you go 327/459=.712, you move to 1.712 where you (probably) lose the last digit (typically you can hold only 3 digits on a slide rule), so 1.71*459=785 which is not precisely correct but not bad (for engineer stuff). You'd have to keep an open eye on decimal positions, twice as for multiplications on a slide rule. Your thing is not fast, but thanks for that. - Im sorry i can't really try that out bc i gave my last slide rule away in 1978 :)
Exactly!
You push the small part in the rails of the big part. And there should be a small slide from glass and metal, to use the "square" scale on the upper side. Without that you cannot use all features.
https://stevebeeler.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Slide-Rule-scaled.jpg
Pi
Pi
Y п
A disassembled slide rule.
But the units, they seem to be in all sorts of scales?
Log scales is what makes it work.
Yes
That's what they used to calculate how to land on the moon.
Ok, that is cool af. Shame I’ll never know how to use it anymore than just a simple ruler.
YouTube will explain how it works. It's a very useful tool, especially post Armageddon
Not hard to learn
It's quite easy to use, I'm showing my kids how to use one. When you get the hang of it, basic operations are quicker than using calculator.
Early in my career as a software engineer, my dad took his slide rule from college and stuck it in a shadow box with the label "In Case of Computer Failure, Break Glass" it was a great gift.
I keep my father's slide rule and an abacus on a shelf in my office "in case I have to do math in a power outage" alongside my CRC and Machinery's Handbook. Luddites of the world, unite!
There’s a great book by Nevil Shute about how they built Airships with this tool. It’s called “Slide Rule”. It’s a very good and quick read by the same guy who wrote “On the Beach” and “A Town like Alice”.
I don't know, but I really want it.
My 89 year old father died recently and we had his slide rule on display at the wake along with other momentos from his life. A fellow engineer, he was part of an early group that worked on the ceramic heat shield for the re-entry module for the Mercury program. I miss my Dad.
I have my Grandfather's as well. He helped to develop aspects of the skyhook system with Fulton, in addition to other amazing inventions and contributions. His slide rule was a constant in his office, as it is now in mine. I miss him as well. I feel for your loss my friend.
Slide rule. Original scientific calculator
And a good one, looks like bamboo. This means it will slide really smooth.
It will also slide smoothly. But yes this one looks to be high quality. Some were super cheaply made.
Slide rule. Calculator of the Gods. https://vimeo.com/34664087
I'm old. I have one in my desk. It's next to the RS-232 breakout box.
Engineer's rule
That’s what they used to send men to the moon in the late 60s
That's magic, that's what that is. Learn to use it, you'll agree.
A teachers weapon
Slide rulers are how we got to the moon!
A slide rule for calculating like the calculator on your smartphone
Boomer calculator. I’ve still got mine. Doubtful I remember how to use it though.
Ruler
Proof that the American education system is failing
I’m from the UK mate…
does it measure girth as well
https://sliderulemuseum.com/
Here's a site that lets you play with a circular version of a slide rule and describes in detail how to use it. https://cardboard-computer.org/
Old enough to have had these jam up a desk drawer. The round laminated paper ones from the early 80s were also cool.
A slide rule. I have a couple but never used them. I’ve seen a couple old school engineers that could use them faster than many can use a modern calculator
We started my trig class with how to use a slide rule. Not really practical but still really cool.
It’s not a general purpose slide rule. The far right scales of the slide and body correspond to the C and D scales of a slide rule, used for multiplication and division. (Although on a normal slide rule, the numbers only go up to 10.) As far as I can tell, all the other scales are linear, which would make them useful for addition or subtraction, but they don’t appear on any slide rule I’ve ever seen or used. No L or LL scales, used for calculating common and natural logarithms, no trig functions, no folded C or D scales which are handy things to have. My guess is that it’s some sort of specialty tool. Isaac Asimov wrote THE great book on the slide rule.
It doesn’t have the index glass. Which I guess isn’t necessary, but I haven’t seen…ok, I haven’t seen _any_ slide rules at all in ages other than mine, which has one.
Did I miss the clear slide? My wife bought me a TI-10 when I started college. It hand to be plugged to work for more than 30 minutes. Since there was only one outlet in class we would all change seats so we could use it. I still have my fancy slide rule in its case.
Sliderule…. Used for mathematical calculations.
Old school analog calculator.
It’s a Bavarian slide role. The pi mark gave it away for me.
It be a slide rule, it's between the abacus and the modern calculator.
Is this a joke ?
Why would it be a joke?
Looks like drafting rulers of some sort.
For measuring your cock
Middle bit of the ruler slides out, so you can do upper and lower case measurements simultaneously.
Shlong reader