## How do I slide rules?

A Slide Rule, a Sundial, and a Physicist walk into a bar
robly18
Posts: 413
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm

### How do I slide rules?

I could look it up, but if anyone can explain it to me it'll be you guys ;D
Convincing people that 0.9999... = 1 since 2012

A Random Player
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:54 pm

### Re: How do I slide rules?

Andy's slide rule, or just slide rules in general?
$1 = 100¢ = (10¢)^2 = ($0.10)^2 = $0.01 = 1¢ [1] Always check your units or you will have no money! robly18 Posts: 413 Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm ### Re: How do I slide rules? Slide rules in general. Convincing people that 0.9999... = 1 since 2012 testtubegames Site Admin Posts: 1088 Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:54 pm ### Re: How do I slide rules? Ah, sure. The actual (iPhone) version has an automatic mode -- which I haven't quite perfected in this version yet. There are a bunch of ways to use it... but the place to start is with multiplication. When the slide rule opens up, look for rows "D" and "C", right on top of each other. Now move the slider (aka my name for the middle slidey piece) so that the 1 on the C scale lines up with the 2 on the D scale. Now any number x on the C scale is directly above 2x on the D scale. So 2 is above 4, 3 is above 6, and so on. So move the 1 on the C scale over y on the D scale... and under any number x, you'll see y*x on the D scale. Magnitude is up to you to remember. Which is important when finding something like 2*6. The true answer, 12, is off the charts (above 10) you need to modify the steps a bit. Instead of lining up 1 on the C scale, line up 10 on the C scale with 2 on the D scale. (The 10 is labeled as 1, since slide rules kinda ignore magnitude) Then 6 will be just above 1.2. You just need your brain to remind you "hey, this isn't right, the decimal point needs to be shifted!" And ta-da, you can now multiply with two (digital) plastic sticks! A Random Player Posts: 523 Joined: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:54 pm ### Re: How do I slide rules? A great way to figure out how slide rules work is to make a simple paper slide rule. Then you can actually see things like how 1 to 2 is the same distance as 2 to 4 and 4 to 8. I made one a long time ago, don't know where it is$1 = 100¢ = (10¢)^2 = ($0.10)^2 =$0.01 = 1¢ [1]
Always check your units or you will have no money!

robly18
Posts: 413
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm

### Re: How do I slide rules?

A Random Player wrote:A great way to figure out how slide rules work is to make a simple paper slide rule. Then you can actually see things like how 1 to 2 is the same distance as 2 to 4 and 4 to 8.
I made one a long time ago, don't know where it is
Thanks, this helped a bunch!
I was bored in class (don't judge me!) and I decided to go ahead and try at making a slide rule. However, I was stuck on multiplication! Then during recess I took a quick trip to the school library and did some research, and rediscovered the log(ab) = log(a) + log(b) rule. From that I made a slight design, which, however, looked nothing like the true slide rules. (started doing more in depth research soon as I got home) Anyway, next time I'm bored in class Ill try to make a better design, as this is quite interesting.
Convincing people that 0.9999... = 1 since 2012

robly18
Posts: 413
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm

### Re: How do I slide rules?

Alright, I made a better prototype. However, a calculator and paper aren't what you'd call accurate when it comes to placing the numbers in the right spot.
Anyway, while working on this I found out a few neat properties of logarithms!

For instance, log a / log b = log base b of a. I have no axiomatic proof of this (yet) but it appears to work fine.
Also, this property, along with the sums and multiplications one, means something quite amazing: you can figure out ANY logarithm for any combination of fractions, using as a start ONLY the logarithms of prime numbers on a common base. Using the logarithm base 2 of 3 and 5 I could find out log base 15 of 27, for example!
Yeah, this blew my mind too. Anyway, now to figuring out what the other lines do!
Convincing people that 0.9999... = 1 since 2012

A Random Player
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:54 pm

### Re: How do I slide rules?

robly18 wrote:Alright, I made a better prototype. However, a calculator and paper aren't what you'd call accurate when it comes to placing the numbers in the right spot.
Anyway, while working on this I found out a few neat properties of logarithms!

For instance, log a / log b = log base b of a. I have no axiomatic proof of this (yet) but it appears to work fine.
Also, this property, along with the sums and multiplications one, means something quite amazing: you can figure out ANY logarithm for any combination of fractions, using as a start ONLY the logarithms of prime numbers on a common base. Using the logarithm base 2 of 3 and 5 I could find out log base 15 of 27, for example!
Yeah, this blew my mind too. Anyway, now to figuring out what the other lines do!
Um... doesn't it equal log (a-b)? Logarithms aren't that versatile.
(log a) / (log b)
= log a * log -b
= log (a - b)

[[edit: Or not. I fail at remembering stuff]]
Last edited by A Random Player on Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
$1 = 100¢ = (10¢)^2 = ($0.10)^2 = $0.01 = 1¢ [1] Always check your units or you will have no money! robly18 Posts: 413 Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm ### Re: How do I slide rules? No, I think you got it backwards. Log a - Log b = Log (a/b), not the other way around. In fact, just under the article you sent me, there's "Change of base" The logarithm logb(x) can be computed from the logarithms of x and b with respect to an arbitrary base k using the following formula: \log_b(x) = \frac{\log_k(x)}{\log_k(b)}.\, The mathemathics are messed up, cleaned up version: log base b of x = log base k of x / log base k of b This, coupled with the multiplications, which lets you figure out log base k of b based on it's prime factors, lets you figure out any log on any fractionary base using merely a table of logs with the primes. Unrelated: In regards to your signature, don't slow down! Forums like these are better off with movement! Convincing people that 0.9999... = 1 since 2012 A Random Player Posts: 523 Joined: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:54 pm ### Re: How do I slide rules? robly18 wrote:No, I think you got it backwards. Log a - Log b = Log (a/b), not the other way around. In fact, just under the article you sent me, there's "Change of base" The logarithm logb(x) can be computed from the logarithms of x and b with respect to an arbitrary base k using the following formula: \log_b(x) = \frac{\log_k(x)}{\log_k(b)}.\, The mathemathics are messed up, cleaned up version: log base b of x = log base k of x / log base k of b This, coupled with the multiplications, which lets you figure out log base k of b based on it's prime factors, lets you figure out any log on any fractionary base using merely a table of logs with the primes. Unrelated: In regards to your signature, don't slow down! Forums like these are better off with movement! Oh whoops. Meh, they both have subtraction and division *thinks* OH That's right, you use division to change base, just like multiplication to change bases! Which is why I always end up typing log(x)/log(2) into my calculator. ----- Ok$1 = 100¢ = (10¢)^2 = ($0.10)^2 =$0.01 = 1¢ [1]
Always check your units or you will have no money!