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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Re: Slide Rules before calculators
Message-ID: <1018@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Dec-84 17:18:55 EST
Article-I.D.: aecom.1018
Posted: Thu Dec 13 17:18:55 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 05:07:44 EST
References: <1668@ucf-cs.UUCP>, <5600002@uiucuxa.UUCP> <1849@burdvax.UUCP>
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 24

> { ... zzzzzzzz}
> Sure it is okay to use calculators in school for complex functions but not
> before you can do the basics on your own.  An ability to estimate the range
> of the answer is pretty useful too.  Maybe we should teach the use of slide
> rules beore they can use a calculator!! :-)
> 
> Chris Smith ==>> {bpa,psuvax,sdcrdcf}!burdvax!ccsmith

Why the :-) after that suggestion. I protest. I went to school just at the
very time calculators were coming down (As a freshman, $89; as a Senior, $19).

We had to learn slide-rules for the first Chem test, after which we could
use a Calculator. (1977-78 was the year). I never bought a calculator that
entire year, kept the slide rule, and was faster than most of the other
people. It fit in a book. (Back then calculators were big and bulky, not
credit cards)  Not only that, to this day, I can do rough multiplication and
calculations in my head -- because I had to.

The suggestion may seem like a joke. But I say it is a very good idea!!!

-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		What do you expect?  Watermelons are out of season!