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Instructions for Otis King's Pocket Calculator

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Carbic Limited
Description
This 16-page pamphlet was printed on light green paper by Carbic Limited, the London manufacturer of the cylindrical slide rule invented by Otis King. It is titled: The Otis King Calculator: Instructions for Use. This form of pamphlet is typically found with King Calculators manufactured later than those that sold with Carbic's eight-page pamphlet. (See 1987.0788.06.) Thus, it was printed no earlier than the late 1960s. This pamphlet did, though, appear before the pound sterling was decimalized in 1971.
An introduction to the instrument has been added, and explanations have been expanded for multiplication and division, logarithms, and understanding the scales. The further examples are nearly identical to those in the earlier form of instructions. The explanations of how to use the logarithmic capabilities of Model L are the same except that the word "unity" has been replaced by the number 1. Discussions of compound roots and approximation have been added, and the explanation of finding the decimal point is expanded.
Reference: Dick Lyon, "Otis King's Patent Calculator," http://www.svpal.org/~dickel/OK/OtisKing.html.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of John White
ca 1965-1970
ID Number
1981.0922.11
accession number
1981.0922
catalog number
1981.0922.11
Object Name
pamphlet
Physical Description
paper (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 20.5 cm x 12.8 cm; 8 1/16 in x 5 1/32 in
place made
United Kingdom: England, London
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Science & Mathematics
Slide Rules
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Rule, Calculating
Record ID
nmah_904708
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a7-5072-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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Instructions for Otis King's Pocket Calculator.
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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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