Imagine life without a calculator. Never mind, wake up from that nightmare. Actually calculators didn't really hit the scene till about 30 years ago.
Calculators have existed for centuries, even millennia. They weren't the electronic ones of today but made of wood and wire called Abacuses. They were used for simple addition and subtraction.
In 1623, the calculator took a step forward. An inventor, Wilhelm Schickard, invented the calculating clock. It didn't run on electronics, but on gears. Similar to those of a clock, hence it's name. The next invention was the Pascaline. It was used to help with taxes, very similar to the large calculating machines of the 1940s.
The 19th century saw the beginnings of the industrial age with use of complex machinery and factories. Most of the calculators were large clunky mechanical machines. The calculator machines performed addition and subtraction and by repeating the mechanical operations of addition and subtraction, you could multiply and divide numbers.
Protable calculators weren't made until the 1970s. The closest thing to a portable calculator was a slide rule.
The first programmable and hand-held calculator was created by Heweltt Packard. This calculator could perform almost all of the functions of a scientific calculator of today. it made all other calculators and the slide rule obsolete.
The modern calculator didn't start off smooth. Most math and science teachers didn't like the idea of a calculator doing all the work. It is still a debated topic today. Should students only do work by hand or use a calculator? Most agree that a students should achieve a certain level of math skills before using a calculator.
Students can now choose from a variety of calculators. Some perform complex equations and can graph charts. Others can only add and subtract.
Now, calculators are integrated into everything. Your computer has a calculator, I bet even your electronic watch has one too. Calculators are a big part of our lives.
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James Ackwol a calculator historian created Ad Calculator Website. The most comprehensive site featuring articles, recources and free ezine. Sign up at http://www.adcalculator.com.
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