h a l f b a k e r y"It would work, if you can find alternatives to each of the steps involved in this process."
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So, I was looking at an abacus one day, and I thought: What if you had a rotary abacus? Like the sticks with the beads rotate around a pivot. Maybe the central, stationary part has its own beads. Or something like that
I don't even know what the implications or possible uses would be of this, I just
know it's a new idea, and there are some uses that would probably be obvious.
Dicuss
Curta
http://www.vcalc.net/cu.htm
[MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 04 2012]
[link]
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A bit like a Curta calculator (link). |
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It's essentially a floating-point abacus. |
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Good for teaching circular reasoning. |
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I would buy one, even though I can't do math. |
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Rotary abacus is a bad title, I think what Edwin means is a 3D abacus of variable geometry. |
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and can someone explain to me why a Curta costs $1500? |
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Probably because they are more complex and far
prettier than a Rolex and haven't been made for
several decades. |
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I have a cylindrical slide rule at home. |
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Two words: Orrery Abacus... |
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If the beads get stuck, then it's an ornery abacus. |
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If the beads get stuck, it's an ornery rotary orrery
abacus. |
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If the beads get stuck in the Lion's offensive tackle's backside, it would be an ornery rotary orrery Backus' back abacus. |
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Perhaps one should be figure-8 shaped, for teaching about infinity... |
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misread as "rosary abacus," part of the ancient chinese catholic accountant toolkit. |
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In the days of Kipling's Kim, pundits carried rosaries
that were covert calculating devices, to do land
surveying in regions forbidden to Europeans. |
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Misread this as discus.
Fetch fido! |
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