Olav Kappert <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I'm not old enough to go back to the age of the abacus; how about the slide
>ruler ?
>Do anyone have one ?

I have several slide rules.


>Better yet, does anyone still remember how to use it and would you
>be willing to teach your children its functionality ?

I had the pleasure of BUILDING slide rules with my children.  The concepts
behind the slide rule are timeless and, if you understand them, you are in
much better shape regarding a variety of deep concepts.  We did not build
works of art (like some slide rules I have seen in museums), but even our
crude paper-and-cardboard models provided enough insight to make everyone
wonder at the ingenuity of the mathematicians (and engineers) who developed
such a great information appliance.

BTW, if you have a chance to visit Firenze in Italy, go to the science
museum (which, among other things, has one of Galileo's fingers on display).
You will enjoy many amazing mathematical "tools" and "appliances".  There
are many great museums throughout the world, but this little museum is a
gem and, being little known, is not crowded at all (even though it is
just around the corner from the over-crowded Galleria degli Uffizi :-)

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|            r  |  Alfredo                     [log in to unmask]
|          e    |                           http://www.adager.com
|        g      |  F. Alfredo Rego
|      a        |  Manager, R & D Labs
|    d          |  Adager Corporation
|  A            |  Sun Valley, Idaho 83353-3000            U.S.A.
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