hpr2166 :: How to use a Slide Rule

By popular request, a description of how a slide rule works

Hosted by Dave Morriss on Monday 2016-11-21 is flagged as Explicit and is released under a CC-BY-SA license.
Tags: slide rule,logarithm,slipstick,analogue computer.

Listen in ogg, spx, or mp3 format. | Comments (3)

How to use a Slide Rule

In my show 1664, “Life and Times of a Geek part 1”, I spoke about using a slide rule as a schoolboy. As a consequence, I was asked if I would do a show on slide rules, and this is it (after a rather long delay).

Long notes

I have written out a moderately long set of notes for this episode and these are available here https://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr2166/full_shownotes.html.

Show Transcript

Automatically generated using whisper

whisper --model tiny --language en hpr2166.wav

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Comment #1 posted on 2016-11-25T20:57:41Z by chalkahlom

very much enjoyed the show, and I was following along with my old 'Boots' slide-rule. Thanks Dave

Comment #2 posted on 2016-11-25T23:33:07Z by Steve Smethurst

I showd my students a virtual slide rule as example of analogue computer. Became fascinated with them and just bought a Faber Castell 52/82, duplex with 19 scales; of course from ebay. Not got it in the post yet. As a kid I used 4 figure tables but in O'Level class I was allowed to use my brand new TI-30. Didn't get taught slide rule. I liked the LL scales, raising e^x. I new there had to be a way to have y instead of e, so I looked up raising arbitrary y by arbitrary x. Well cool! www.antiquark.com

Comment #3 posted on 2016-11-27T13:53:59Z by Dave Morriss

Thanks!

Thanks chalkahlom, glad you enjoyed it. I didn't realise that Boots (a UK-based pharmacy chain) sold slide-rules, but I see references to them online.

Cheers Steve. I don't remember being taught how to use a slide-rule. Maybe we were and I wasn't listening! I did use it a moderate amount, but not for anything very sophisticated. Perhaps you could tell us about the more advanced features by way of an HPR show at some point. You could demonstrate your new Faber Castell :-)

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