An easy introduction to the slide rule

Thompsons original 1930 slide rule book was also updated in a second 1952 edition the standard manual of the slide rule that many collectors feel is the standard slide rule reference text. If you read the first part of this module about practical theory, hopefully this will shed a lot of light on understanding the basics of chords for any musical. See more ideas about slide rule, old computers and mechanical calculator. The slide rule, also known colloquially in the united states as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. It is unfortunate that, for some reasons not easy to see, the slide rule is sometimes regarded as a difficult instrument with which to become proficient. Picture of a pickett 10 powerlog exponential slide rule. This page gives numeric examples of the basic calculations that a slide rule can do. A slide rule represents logarithms as a distances along a linear scale. The easy way to do trig functions is to have a slide rule that has a separate sliding part for them. To build the slide rule, you will need to download and print the following image at 300 dpi.

While science fiction and popular science were his mainstays, he published in a wide variety of categories, ranging from history, to shakespeare, to the bible, to mystery stories. Gallery add a photo to this gallery see also list of books by isaac asimov. An easy introduction to the slide rule, asimov, 1965 isaac asimov is one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books. Introduction to the pickett circular slide rule the plastic arm that is pivoted in the center of your circular slide rule is called the cursor. Bissaker slide rule 1654 circular slide rule king pocket calculator 66 sclales thacher calculator 30 ft. An easy introduction to the slide rule asimov, isaac. Highly recommended for archeotech or retrocomputing people. Introduction this selfguided course gives numeric examples of the basic calculations that a slide rule can do. The oldest german slide rule oughtred society slide rule. Slide rule, vintage slide rule reiss 3212, logarithmic ruler, logarithmic slide ruler in original case, slide rule made in germany cvetishop 4. Finally, the circular nature of the scales enables you to conveniently carry the equivalent of a inch slide rule on a. I taught evening classes in solid state circuit design at our local community college from 1967 to 2000, and during the pre calculator days, around 1974, i assumed my students had a firm grasp on slide rule operation. An easy introduction to the slide rule, asimov, 1965.

Music slide rule the aim of this module is to not only enable you to play guitar chords but to also remove the mystery of what are chords and understand and know how they work. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for scientific functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but does not generally perform addition or subtraction there are many different styles of slide rules. The slide rule the slide rule is a time and labor saving instrument for quickly solving problems involving multiplication, division, proportion, squares, square roots, cube and cube roots or any combination of these processes. Ive always been a great fan of asimovs work, and was therefore delighted to finally find a copy of this book at a reasonable price they tend to range from exorbitant to outrageous, especially. Mannheim slide rule 1850 faber castell 283n nestler 23r mannheim issac newton put 3 scales in parallel in 1675 to compute cubes, and proposed the cursor in 1677, but was ignored. A slide rule, he says, doesnt seem as impressive as a giant electronic computer, but it has many advantages. Just follow the stepbystep instructions and you will be amazed by the power and versatility of the venerable slipstick. When the rule is at the zero position, all the numbers line up to the sine, cosine or tangent of that number of course the numbers are presumed to be in radians. Here are two videos with regrettable autofocus hunting explaining the basics of computation with a slide rule. All slide rules consist of logarithmic scales that can be moved in relation to each other in order to do basic mathematical calculations. A book from the same era as my recently acquired slide rule was the best introduction i could have asked for. The 7 rules for creating effective slides include 1 slides are not documents. The simplest slide rule would have two log scales that you could use to do multiplication and division see my slide rule introduction page for more info. How to build yourself a slide rule math wonderhowto.

An easy introduction to the slide rule by asimov, isaac, 1920publication date 1965 topics slide rule publisher boston, houghton mifflin. The slide rule is used mainly for multiplication and division, and also for scientific functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but usually not for addition or subtraction there are many different styles of slide rules. An easy introduction to the slide rule pb asimov, isaac, fawcett premier, greenwich conn. He explains what a slide rule is and how you can build one of your very own. Additionally, the slide rule does not tell you where the decimal point is located in the answer. Colin barnes, manufacturing british thornton slide rules, proceedings of the 11th international meeting of slide rule collectors, october, 2005, pp. Rule definition and meaning collins english dictionary. For example, the book shows you how slide rule can be used to quickly and visually perform any of the following. Rules are instructions that tell you what you are allowed to do and what you are not. Feb 17, 2014 how to use a slide rule easy explanation lesson 1957 duration. It is small enough to put in your pocket, it need not cost more than a couple of dollars, it cant go out of order, and, best of all, it can solve almost any numerical problem that you meet up with under ordinary circumstances. The appeal of slide rules for use and as collectables. Introduction this isnt really a tutorial, its more of a selfguided demo. Illustrated selfguided course on international slide rule.

Mike konshak founded the international slide rule museum website. Illustrated selfguided course on how to use the slide rule. I used a slide rule style ui for the ohms law calculator on perfboard ios app. Oct 22, 2014 the slide rule is an instrument that was used to design virtually everything, says deborah douglas, the director of collections and curator of science and technology at the mit museum in. I typed and scanned this in from one of the manuals that came with my n4es slide rule. A slide rule is a mechanical device that uses the alignment of numeric values marked on sliding scales to perform mathematical calculations. The slide rule and other instruments which give the same facilities for rapid calculations, are covered by the term mechanical calculation. An easy introduction to the slide rule by isaac asimov. Multiplication and division which is really just adding or subtracting logarithms. Generally, they are either have a linear form or that of a circle. An easy introduction to the slide rule is a nonfiction book by isaac asimov. In a separate calculation you find the order of magnitude by combining the powers of 10. The university of chicago pickett the worlds most accurate slide rules.

Here is a virtual slide rule which works in your browser. Located on the slide, most calculations are done in conjunction with the fundamental cd scales. The slide rule also does not tell you the sign of your result. The slide rule, also known as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. Jan 11, 2020 steves slide rules slide rule instruction texts.

It is not only probably the oldest existing slide rule manufactured in germany, it is also a precious piece made of ivory with silver end plates. For the past 400 years, the calculations performed on slide rules have made possible such feats as designing the first skyscraper and putting a. The international slide rule museum has a multitude of resources for slide rule fans, including scans of user manuals from a variety of manufacturers. Some slide rule manuals contain relatively exhaustive explanations of the theory underlying the operations. You can enter and read a number typically to two or three decimal digits only. Our original problem was 410 x 9, and we read an answer of 3. The slide rule eased the addition of the two logarithmic displacements of the numbers, thus. An easy introduction to the slide rule asimov fandom. The slide rule is used mainly for multiplication and division, and also for scientific functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but usually not for addition or subtraction.

It gave the foundations necessary for the online manuals available for the different rules to make sense. Additionally, you will find it more convenient to use, since the scales are continuous and a setting is never off scale. The slide rule made it easier to utilize the log relations by developing a number line on which the displacement of the numbers were proportional to their logs. The quick and easy lawrence slide rule instruction book. History of the slide rule the museum of hp calculators. Easy introduction to the slide rule by isaac asimov. Easy introduction to the slide rule by isaac asimov, william. Basic slide rule operation for scientists and engineers 10. The slide rule, or slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. The slide rule is an instrument that was used to design virtually everything, says deborah douglas, the director of collections and curator of. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for functions such as exponents, roots, logarithms, and trigonometry, but typically not for addition or subtraction. For the past 400 years, the calculations performed on slide rules have made possible such feats as designing the first skyscraper and putting a man on the moon. Nate, the mathematics guy shows you the basics of a slide rule. As graphical analog calculators, slide rules are closely related to nomograms, but the former are used for general calculations, whereas the latter are used for applicationspecific computations.

To do a calculation with a slide rule you reduce all numbers to scientific notation with 24 digits then use the slide rule to perform the basic operations. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. How to use a slide rule easy explanation lesson 1957 duration. More specifically, i allow the user to slide logarithmically marked rules for two of the variables and the calculator finds the third. The slide rule eased the addition of the two logarithmic displacements of the numbers, thus assisting with multiplication and division in calculations. As graphical analog calculators, slide rules are closely related to nomograms, but the former are used for general calculations, whereas the latter are used for applicationspecific computations the slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for. Slide rule simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Round the original problem to convenient numbers and solve it in your head. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for scientific functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but does not generally perform addition or subtraction. Compared to a calculator, a slide rule is severely limited in its accuracy.

The numbers on the scale are the antilogarithms of the logarithms represented by distances on the scale, so there is no need to consult a table of antilogarithms. The operation of a slide rule is simple and anyone with a fair understanding of numbers can use one. Illustrated selfguided course on how to use the slide. Publication date 1965 collection thecomputermuseumarchive. In this manual it is assumed that the theory of exponents, of logarithms, of trigonometry, and of the slide rule is known to the reader, or will be recalled or studied by reference to formal textbooks on these subjects. All other scales on a slide rule are referenced to the c and d scales. It includes a guide to the most common uses of a rule and instructions for some nonstandard rules. A fascinating illustrated paper which describes the typical complex stages involved in making a high precision slide rule.