Can you use a slide rule?

midlifebear

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I have several. They followed me home one day from 6th grade. My favorite is snot green in color with a natural ash wood slide part. Had it not been for the slide rule I would never have overcome my *rational fear of long division. I still use them.

Now, how many can actually use calculators set to E or Engineering mode? Hmmmm?

*Yes, I meant to spell rational.
 

davis0444

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I learned to use a slide rule in 7th grade (Thanks, Mrs. Cain), but calculators came down in price pretty quickly after that and I never really used one. My dad was an engineer, and carried a 6" slide rule in his shirt pocket (yes, in a pocket protector) until the day he retired in 1991. He was often faster with the slide rule than younger colleagues were with a calculator.
 

thedrainman

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I have a cylindrical slide rule (Otis King 150mm retracted, 205mm extended). It has the equivalent scales of 900mm and these are arranged helically aound the slide. It takes a bit of mastering and I prefer my standard slide rule for speed.
 

WilliamG

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I still own a slide rule my grandfather gave it to me for my math class in middle school. At 62 I'm one of the few I think. I also still own and use for work (bought new) a TI-30 SLR. It must be 30+ years old! Works great too!
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