The only maker that still produces "classic" slide rules is the Japanese maker Concise. ... Made by various companies (e.g. Jeppesen, ASA), this simple and elegant device used by pilots for various flight calculations can also do basic multiplication and division on the circular slide rule portion.

Does anyone still manufacture slide rules?

Though they're no longer produced, the company still stocks around 1,200 or so and occasionally gets an order for some. Why would anyone still want to buy a slide rule, when inexpensive calculators are so readily available? According to Haase, slide rules are better suited to some functions than are calculators.

Who develop slides rules?

The slide rule was invented by William Oughtred in the 1600's, but only began to be widely used in the mid 1800's after a French artillery officer named Amedee Mannheim developed a version that became popular among engineers. By the early 1900's engineering students in the US were commonly taught to use slide rules.

Did NASA use slide rules?

The slide rule. ... NASA engineers used slide rules to build the rockets and plan the mission that landed Apollo 11 on the moon. It's said that Buzz Aldrin needed his pocket slide rule for last-minute calculations before landing.

Are slide rules worth anything?

The rarest slide rules are 19th Century hand-engraved instruments such as Palmers Computing Scale (a circular model), first published in 1843, or the cylindrical 'Thacher's Patent Calculating Instrument' slide rules produced by Keuffel and Esser Co in the 1880s. These can run close to $1,000 in good condition.

The iPhone of Slide Rules - Numberphile

Can you still buy slide rulers?

There are many pages about slide rules on the web, and you can still buy brand new slide rules (40 years old but never used, and still in their factory supplied box) in various places. ... This is one of the fanciest and most beautiful slide rules ever made, a Faber Castell Novo Biplex 2/83 N.

Are old slide rules worth money?

By the end of the 1970s, all the slide rule manufacturers died. ... So there were several models sold that had a math calculator on one side and a slide rule glued to the back to do those other functions. Those are worth a lot of money if you're collecting.

What replaced the slide rule?

The slide rule remained an essential tool in science and engineering and was widely used in business and industry until it was superseded by the portable electronic calculator late in the 20th century.

What slide rule did Apollo astronauts use?

NASA chose a 5-inch, metal rule, model "N600-ES," manufactured by the Pickett Company for their use. It was a model that was popular among engineers, scientists and students at the time. No modifications were needed for use in space. This rule was used by the crew of Apollo 13, in April 1970.

When was the last slide rule made?

Slide rules became increasingly popular in the 1950s and 1960s, before beginning to fall out of favor to pocket calculators, which, by the mid 1970s, had become affordable and were considered significantly easier to use by the masses. The last slide rule manufactured in the United States was produced on July 11, 1976.

When were slide rules used?

In the 1620s, William Oughtred (1574–1660), a respected mathematician, set two straight edges side-by-side, forming the first rectilinear slide rule.

What does slide rule stand for?

slide rule. noun obsolete. a mechanical calculating device consisting of two strips, one sliding along a central groove in the other, each strip graduated in two or more logarithmic scales of numbers, trigonometric functions, etc.

What is slide rule in computer science?

A slide rule, also known as a slide ruler or a slipstick, is an extremely complex ruler that functions as an analog computer. By sliding various components of the ruler to align with one another, a slide rule can compute products, roots, logarithms, and the result of trigonometric functions.

How do you create a slide rule?

1. Take an ordinary ruler, and put decimal points before the numbers marking the inches. ...
2. To position the major (black) divisions on the logarithmic scale, calculate the base-10 logarithm of each integer from 2 to 9 and plot the integer at that place on the ruler.

How much did a slide rule cost?

It sold for about $395. It was the first handheld calculator ever to perform logarithmic and trigonometric functions with one keystroke. In effect it was the world's first electronic slide rule.

Why does a slide rule work?

A slide rule works by adding or subtracting the numerical exponents of numbers for multiplication or division, respectively. Thus, numbers to be multiplied or divided are converted to their logarithmic values and their exponents are added or subtracted.

What slide rule went to the moon?

In September 2007, Heritage Auction sold the Pickett slide rule that Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin took to the moon. The Pickett Model N600-ES (Eye Saver) Log Log Speed Rule, was 6 inches long with 22 five-inch scales.

What is a slide rule pass in soccer?

A slide rule is a tool used by mathematicians and is associated with accuracy and so a slide-rule pass is an extremely accurate pass; often one that goes through a narrow or small space. These kind of passes, although difficult to produce, tend to open up a defence to create a clear chance.

Did Roget invent the slide rule?

The logarithmic slide rule is a compact device for rapidly performing calculations with limited accuracy. ... In 1814 the English physician Peter Roget (of Roget's Thesaurus) invented his “log-log” slide rule for calculating powers and roots of numbers.

What is the best slide rule?

Faber-Castell 2/83N Novo-Duplex: Size 38 x 7 cm, 30 scales, plastic. This model is regarded by some as one of the finest slide rules ever made. Its combination of size, build, sophistication of scales offered and attractive use of colour gives a slide rule that impresses!

Who invented the slide?

The slide was invented by Charles Wicksteed (in the centre of this picture) who at first made them for his park but then went on to sell them around the world. He also invented other playground equipment.

How do you clean a slide rule?

It is usually safe to wash the entire rule in warm soapy water (Palmolive works great) IF it is made of Ivorite. This works for the 4181, Deci-lon and Doric rules. After cleaning, they should be rinsed and blow dried and all spots removed, especially under the cursor.