Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Texas Instruments SR-16 II Handheld Electronic Calculator

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Texas Instruments
Description
This is an example of a scientific calculator introduced by Texas Instruments in 1975 that offered many of the capabilities of the SR-16 calculator at a lower cost. The handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case with an array of thirty-one small rectangular plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a change sign key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a clear display key, and a clear key, the calculator has twelve further function keys. These are for powers, reciprocals, square roots, squares, logs to the base 10, storage, recall, summation, exponents, natural logarithms, entering exponents, and pi. The meaning of the keys is indicated on the keyboard, not on the keys themselves. Text on the keyboard, above the keys and to the right, reads: SR-16 II. Behind the keyboard is a twelve-digit LED display that shows eight-digit positive and negative numbers and two-digit positive and negative exponents. A mark below the display reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. The on/off switch is right and slightly above this mark.
The calculator has a jack for a recharger/adapter along the back edge. A sticker on the back gives instructions. It also gives the serial number SR-16 II 180524. It also reads: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Above the sticker is a compartment for three batteries. A mark below the sticker reads: LTA4375.
Unscrewing four screws on the back reveals the workings of the calculator. It has a total of three chips. The largest of these is marked TMS1016NL (/) KAΔ7543. This is a TMS1016 chip, manufactured in late 1975.
The calculator comes in a dark brown plastic zippered case with belt loop.
References:
[Advertisement], New York Times, May 5, 1976, p. 10. Gives a sale price of $29.
[Advertisement], Chicago Tribune, October 19, 1975, p. A7. Gives price of $44.95.
Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, p. 153.
Online Datamath Museum.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of John B. Priser
1975
ID Number
1986.0988.352
catalog number
1986.0988.353
accession number
1986.0988
Object Name
electronic calculator
Physical Description
plastic (case; carrying case material)
metal (circuitry material)
paper (sticker material)
Measurements
overall: 1 1/4 in x 3 in x 5 3/4 in; 3.175 cm x 7.62 cm x 14.605 cm
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Computers
Computers & Business Machines
Handheld Electronic Calculators
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1364047
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-f035-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Texas Instruments SR-16 II Handheld Electronic Calculator
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top