THE CALCULATORDANIEL LEE

NURI MARTINEZ

WHAT IS A CALCULATOR?

• A calculator is a device that performs simple and complex arithmetic

operation on numbers.

• It was originally invented to make addition and subtraction faster and

less error-prone.

• Created around 2000 B.C. it has evolved from the bean abacus to the

pocket calculators we use today.

3000B.C: THE ABACUS• The first calculator was the abacus, a hand operated calculator made out of

beads on rods.

• Developed in China around 3000 B.B. First used by the Egyptians and Sumerians around 2000 B.C.

• A frame held a series of rods, with ten sliding beads on each. When all the beads had been slid across the first rod, it was time to move one across on the next, showing the number of tens, and thence to the next rod, showing hundreds, and so on.

1622: THE SLIDE RULE

• Once logarithms were developed by John Napier, Edward Gunter

and William Oughtred, among others, created the slide rule in 1622.• The slide rule is a sliding stick (or discs) that uses logarithmic scales

to allow rapid multiplication and division.• Evolved to allow advanced trigonometry, logarithms, exponentials,

and square roots.

1642-1886: MECHANICAL CALCULATORS• The first mechanical calculator appeared in 1642, the creations of French

intellectual Blaise Pascal as “a device that will eventually perform all four

arithmetic operations without relying on human intelligence.” • Ultimately failed to produce a fully-operational machine. Had to wait until

1820 and the patenting in France of Thomas de Colmar’s four function

Arithmometer.

• The development of hand cranked adding machines was seen in the

Americas like the Grant Mechanical Calculating Machine of 1877 and,

more famously the P100 Burroughs Adding Machine developed by

William Seward Burroughs in 1886.

1887-1948: MOVE TOWARDS MODERN CALCULATORS

• A further step forward happened in 1887 when Dorr. E. Felt’s US-patented

key driven ‘Comptometer’ took calculating into the push button age.• The Curta Calculator of 1948 was so compact it could fit into a pocket

while being capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

1961-1967: ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS

• The first step to electronic calculating for the office wasn’t seen until 1961

with ANITA (A New Inspiration To Arithmetic/Accounting), • This was the world’s first all-electronic desktop calculator and it was

developed in Britain by Control Systems Ltd., marketed under its Bell

Punch and Sumlock brands. • Used the same push button key layout as the company’s mechanical

comptometers, but the rest was done electronically, using a mix of vacuum

and cold cathode ‘Dekatron’ counting tubes.

1968-2014: MODERN CALCULATORS• In 1967, Texas Instruments released their Cal Tech prototype, a calculator that could add,

subtract, multiply, divide, and print results to a paper tape while being compact enough to

be hand held. It was a significant step towards modern calculators.• Although the Cal Tech still used transistors, it only took 2 years until calculators could be

made using low power consumption chips, allowing reduction of size and power

consumption. The first of these was Sharp’s QT-8D Micro Compet from Japan.• These calculators became obsolete almost as soon as they were introduced, as different

companies made smaller calculators at lower prices using more convenient power sources,

like batteries, and incorporating data through ROM, RAM, and floppy disk..• By 1980, calculators had reached the forms we recognize today, with compact size, single

chips and LCD displays, operated by dome switch keyboards, powered by solar cells or

batteries, and capable of a number of functions including graphing. These calculators are

now available virtually on computers, tablets, and cell phones.

Who uses Calculators ?

calculators are used by many

people. they are used in school

a lot. scientist and engineers use

them too, banks and many other

places that include money use

calculators

Examples Of Existing Patents :

• electronic patents • calculator pen patents • major electronic companies

Global Impact on Society and The Environment

• The calculator has had a profound impact on the world, making computations quicker and more exact. In the

classroom, calculators have given many students the ability to learn about and put complex formulas and concepts

into practice more easily. • However, there has been some controversy regarding the use of powerful calculators in class, because some believe

that using the devices to do the work that people's brains once did can result in the loss of true mathematical ability.

Recent research suggests that advanced physics students, for example, can often be hampered in their learning by

an over-reliance on mathematical aids.• Calculators have even moved online and have a number of practical applications, like weight loss calculators and

conversion calculators. • Engineers continue to make advancements in calculator technology, and as they become more and more complex,

the lines between personal computers and classic calculators may continue to blur. For their current models, some

companies are exploring more ecologically sound components, including the development of more efficient and

recyclable power sources, and even using materials like recycled cellular phones in their manufacturing.

If you had the ability to change this product in any way, what would you change ?

Daniel :

I would change it to have easier mechanics

for calculus functions. I would have it so

that you can instantly integrate an equation

just by pushing a few numbers instead of

searching through a sizable database of

functions.

Nuri :

i would probably make it easier to use and

easier to understand (the symbols ) i would

also make it smaller but smarter and easy

to carry around too. i would have mine solve

equations and show you the answers or

how it got it .

Citations

Clifton, Jacob. "How Calculators Work" 10 February 2010. HowStuffWorks.com.

<http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/calculator.htm> 12 August 2014.

Sebastian, Mike. "CALCULATOR RELATED PATENTS." CALCULATOR RELATED PATENTS. N.p.,

2 Jan. 2005. Web. 12 Aug. 2014. <http://www.rskey.org/~mwsebastian/patents/patents.htm>.

Valentine, Nick. "The History of the Calculator." The History of the Calculator. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014.

Web. 11 Aug. 2014. <http://www.thecalculatorsite.com/articles/units/history-of-the-calculator.php>.