Moon Landing: Slide Rule Overachievment or Hollywood Concoction

House3780 · October 30th, 2007, 08:11 PM

cgunna · October 30th, 2007, 08:34 PM

House3780 · October 30th, 2007, 10:24 PM

Basic concepts

In its most basic form, the slide rule uses two logarithmic scales to allow rapid multiplication and division of numbers, common operations that can be time-consuming and error-prone when done on paper. More complex slide rules allow other calculations, such as square roots, exponentials, logarithms, and trigonometric functions.

Cursor on a slide rule.In general, mathematical calculations are performed by aligning a mark on the sliding central strip with a mark on one of the fixed strips, and then observing the relative positions of other marks on the strips. Numbers aligned with the marks give the approximate value of the product, quotient, or other calculated result.

The user determines the location of the decimal point in the result, based on mental estimation. Scientific notation is used to track the decimal point in more formal calculations. Addition and subtraction steps in a calculation are generally done mentally or on paper, not on the slide rule.

Even the most basic student slide rules have more than two scales. Most consist of three linear strips of the same length, aligned in parallel and interlocked so that the central strip can be moved lengthwise relative to the other two. The outer two strips are fixed so that their relative positions do not change.

Some slide rules ("duplex" models) have scales on both sides of the rule and slide strip, others on one side of the outer strips and both sides of the slide strip, still others on one side only ("simplex" rules). A sliding cursor with a vertical alignment line is used to find corresponding points on scales that are not adjacent to each other or, in duplex models, are on the other side of the rule. The cursor can also record an intermediate result on any of the scales. It was invented by William Oughtred.

jamie_hunt · October 31st, 2007, 03:20 PM

I think it's a little disturbing that, prior to my visit, this thread had "67" views, while the Orange Juice thread had "76." Coincidence? I think not.

P.S. the OJ thread was canned. Nyuk, nyuk.

TheGlobalizer · October 31st, 2007, 07:07 PM

what

House3780 · October 31st, 2007, 09:07 PM

Now that I think about it.. what has science done for us lately??? has any disease been irradicated in the past 30 years??? what has been cured since small pox???

21230 · November 2nd, 2007, 05:09 AM

Finally, a thread I can relate to. I hate me some science. As if the moon actually exists.

jamie_hunt · November 2nd, 2007, 04:49 PM

I miss the OJ thread. Orange Juice, that is. Not the other guy.

October 30th, 2007, 08:11 PM	#1
House3780 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indian Ocean Posts: 781 Likes (Received): 0	Moon Landing: Slide Rule Overachievment or Hollywood Concoction

October 30th, 2007, 10:24 PM	#3
House3780 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indian Ocean Posts: 781 Likes (Received): 0	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule#History Basic concepts In its most basic form, the slide rule uses two logarithmic scales to allow rapid multiplication and division of numbers, common operations that can be time-consuming and error-prone when done on paper. More complex slide rules allow other calculations, such as square roots, exponentials, logarithms, and trigonometric functions. Cursor on a slide rule.In general, mathematical calculations are performed by aligning a mark on the sliding central strip with a mark on one of the fixed strips, and then observing the relative positions of other marks on the strips. Numbers aligned with the marks give the approximate value of the product, quotient, or other calculated result. The user determines the location of the decimal point in the result, based on mental estimation. Scientific notation is used to track the decimal point in more formal calculations. Addition and subtraction steps in a calculation are generally done mentally or on paper, not on the slide rule. Even the most basic student slide rules have more than two scales. Most consist of three linear strips of the same length, aligned in parallel and interlocked so that the central strip can be moved lengthwise relative to the other two. The outer two strips are fixed so that their relative positions do not change. Some slide rules ("duplex" models) have scales on both sides of the rule and slide strip, others on one side of the outer strips and both sides of the slide strip, still others on one side only ("simplex" rules). A sliding cursor with a vertical alignment line is used to find corresponding points on scales that are not adjacent to each other or, in duplex models, are on the other side of the rule. The cursor can also record an intermediate result on any of the scales. It was invented by William Oughtred.

October 31st, 2007, 03:20 PM	#4
jamie_hunt Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,348 Likes (Received): 9	I think it's a little disturbing that, prior to my visit, this thread had "67" views, while the Orange Juice thread had "76." Coincidence? I think not. P.S. the OJ thread was canned. Nyuk, nyuk. Last edited by jamie_hunt; October 31st, 2007 at 07:36 PM.

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October 30th, 2007, 08:34 PM	#2
cgunna Sons of Blood and Thunder Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 727 Likes (Received): 2

October 31st, 2007, 07:07 PM	#5
TheGlobalizer Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 683 Likes (Received): 0	what

October 31st, 2007, 09:07 PM	#6
House3780 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indian Ocean Posts: 781 Likes (Received): 0	Now that I think about it.. what has science done for us lately??? has any disease been irradicated in the past 30 years??? what has been cured since small pox???

November 2nd, 2007, 05:09 AM	#7
21230 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 78 Likes (Received): 0	Finally, a thread I can relate to. I hate me some science. As if the moon actually exists.

November 2nd, 2007, 04:49 PM	#8
jamie_hunt Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,348 Likes (Received): 9	I miss the OJ thread. Orange Juice, that is. Not the other guy.