In 1964 or 1965 I was in an electrical engineering class and watched two guys sitting on the front row. Each was using a strange cylindrical calculator. It was a big class and the students using the calculators were older than the rest of us and we never found out what kind of calculators they were using. I have wondered all these years. I never again saw a calculator like that. Now finally I know. Thank You!
@karthiksriram4632
4 жыл бұрын
Oh nice... How old are you now? 😊
@flix7280
2 жыл бұрын
@Boco Corwin now 4 years
@Krektonix
Жыл бұрын
@flix7280 now 5 years
@l4wl3rbl4d3r
9 жыл бұрын
so does it become a grenade when you divide by zero
@yousorooo
9 жыл бұрын
l4wl3rbl4d3r You can only add with this device.
@christianchoi1
9 жыл бұрын
Derek Leung wrong you can subtract as well they didn't add that in or they didn't know. You pull the thing you circle around up and it will do subtraction
@yousorooo
9 жыл бұрын
***** Go learn how this device actually works please. The mechanism inside can only do addition, just like an ALU used by modern computers.
@yousorooo
9 жыл бұрын
***** Go learn how this device actually works please. The mechanism inside can only do addition, just like an ALU used by modern computers.
@428yt4
9 жыл бұрын
Derek Leung lol double post
@eyesofphysics97
10 жыл бұрын
I want one so bad! Imagine being in a chemistry class and pulling out this bad boy in college to calculate with. Instant awesomeness status.
@ghuegel
9 жыл бұрын
People who think that a Curta calculator equals "awesomeness" are the kind of people I love the most.
@eyesofphysics97
9 жыл бұрын
ghuegel Like, the definition of a nerdgasm.
@jyk000
9 жыл бұрын
Pulled one of these babies out in my SAT 2 Math test as a joke, but the proctor got mad at me. Proctor for my IBHL Math Exam didn't mind though.
@eyesofphysics97
9 жыл бұрын
jyk000 Really? You have one of these?
@jyk000
9 жыл бұрын
Bought on eBay when this first came out for 500 bucks. Type 2
@MrDylansYT
12 жыл бұрын
My grandfather gave me one of those - the construction is so incredible and the feel of the gears so solid. Over the years it has been difficult to explain to people exactly how amazing and great those things are.
@DaffyDaffyDaffy33322
11 жыл бұрын
No, you can do subtraction. You pull up on the handle to put it in subtraction mode. Turning the handle then decrements the turn counter and subtracts the number on the output by the number on the input. You can also do really complicated stuff like cube roots. It's a really powerful tool.
@BGroothedde
10 жыл бұрын
Now I can't help but wondering about the inner workings of this beautiful device.
@theworldslasthope
10 жыл бұрын
type in how the curta works into the search bar, amazing 3d video
@BGroothedde
10 жыл бұрын
Golden Mean Media I know, i shared that video in this commentsection as well. A beautiful video indeed! ^^
@theworldslasthope
10 жыл бұрын
Bas Groothedde Aah. Its only because I had watched that video just before this one I thought it might be of great help to you. I'd say I understood about 75% of it when I watched it. :)
@BGroothedde
10 жыл бұрын
Golden Mean Media I had to re-watch it as well, what a simple yet complicated machine!
@brettefantomet
8 жыл бұрын
+Bas Groothedde there is a vid about it on youtube... sorry for bumbing a year old post
@JBLewis
10 жыл бұрын
I loved hearing the rally reference in this video! I have a friend in the rally community who has one, in fact. How were they used in rally? On a TSD rally (Time-Speed-Distance), you given distances, and the speed you are expected to go. The goal is to arrive at an undisclosed point along your route at exactly the right time. If you know how fast you are supposed to go, you can know how much time should have elapsed for each unit (10th or 100th of a mile) of distance. So the co-driver could give the Curta a crank for each "tick" of the odometer and accumulate the ideal elapsed time. By comparing that to a clock you can tell if you are running ahead (driver needs to slow a little) or behind (driver needs to speed up a little).
@adamplace1414
2 жыл бұрын
My dad used to lay out and participate in those rallies, and he had a Curta. Since he's passed, it's now my brother's, and one of his most prized possessions.
@JBLewis
2 жыл бұрын
@@adamplace1414 Love seeing that this video is getting fresh views after the Objectivity / Adam Savage video!
@ericfrancis7816
2 жыл бұрын
My late father bought a Curta Type II while living in Austria after WWII, and used it for many years to calculate estimated board feet while walking through his tree farms in Arkansas. I have it now and keep meaning to learn how to use it properly. It is the coolest thing I own, without question.
@wipi-dn2jf
8 жыл бұрын
you did not mentioned that it also can perform subtracts, divides, square roots, cubes, factors, and percentages.
@koubun02
8 жыл бұрын
It CAN??????
@Nothing_serious
7 жыл бұрын
wipi 8055 Can it even make a decimal number for square root?
@flashpeter625
7 жыл бұрын
Technically, it can only add. But with help of moving the decimal point and similar tricks, you can do all of those operations. Algorithmically, it is very similar to what the arithmetic logic unit in every electronic computer does.
@davecrupel2817
6 жыл бұрын
That....is disgustingly incredible....what a marvel of engineering!
@HeineArthur
6 жыл бұрын
By pulling the lever, the Curta calculator goes in subtraction mode by reversing gears. It can do it mechanically, not with operation tricks.
@Nekotamer
10 жыл бұрын
it doesnt take much to realize it is indeed a magnificent little mechanical wonder.
@Lskaggs63
8 жыл бұрын
I'm an Electronics Technician and I love collecting vintage calculators, computers, etc. This calculator (The Curta) is one of the most amazing designs I've ever seen. Thanks for the video and memories!
@sasjadevries
10 жыл бұрын
after an EMP strike or nuclear war this machine would still work. that's one reason why you need it. And it's just cool.
@zollen123
10 жыл бұрын
Good thinking.
@saraha180
10 жыл бұрын
I agree that it's cool, but you don't really need a machine to do arithmetic multiplication. You can do it with a pencil and paper, or even just a bit of charcoal and a wall. As far as practical devices for doing science or engineering, a slide rule is *way* more powerful.
@sasjadevries
10 жыл бұрын
Sarah with pen and paper you can make mistakes and it would take more time when you have 8 digit numbers or so. And the thing is if such a caltulator would become more popular people will start improving it and more functions would be added.
@micheals1992
9 жыл бұрын
Wouldn't it fry its cogs?!
@etomicbomb1753
9 жыл бұрын
I have a calculator that was invented in the 1600s. I think I am also set for the EMP strike/ nuclear world war. YEAH!!!!
@Degr8n8
11 жыл бұрын
This is soo beyond me. I cant even begin to think how someone could take mechanical parts and make a calculator like that. That man must have been some sort of genius!!!
@autodidactusplaysjrpgs7614
8 жыл бұрын
I'd love to pull that out on my next exam and see the confused looks
@alfredomoreno8516
8 жыл бұрын
hahahaha LOL
@TartsFlying
8 жыл бұрын
+Alfredo Moreno great input there hahahaha LOL
@azmah1999
8 жыл бұрын
And then you'll have to calculate sin(π/7) and you'll be screwed. ^^ But I admit that it would be amazing
@danijel124
8 жыл бұрын
grenade!!!! everybody on the floor ;)
@Peter_1986
7 жыл бұрын
+Anim' Max by Mojert If I am expected to use a calculator during an exam and I have forgotten to bring it then I just leave those uncalculated parts in symbolic form. =P It's the solution steps that are important anyway, and I can always show those steps without making numerical calculations, since variables have nothing to do with specific numbers.
@ComandanteJ
9 жыл бұрын
What tha...? that's from the fifties? i thought it was some kind of revival!. Oh boy, one of the coolest things i've ever seen.
@nathancarlisle2094
9 жыл бұрын
I so want one of these now.
@zymosan99
5 жыл бұрын
sadly they are super expensive
@martiddy
7 жыл бұрын
Just imagine if this would had been invented 2000 years ago, it would blown everybody's mind
@carterwood4197
6 жыл бұрын
Some genius 2000 years ago may have been able to design something like this, but there's no way they could have built it back then. The engineering is too advanced. They'd need a way to make steel into extremely precise gears and all that for this to work. So yeah, minds would be blown. They'd probably all cry witchcraft.
@TonboIV
5 жыл бұрын
@@carterwood4197 Yeah, precision is a technology of its own. This device can only be made in the industrialized world.
@Bronze_Age_Sea_Person
5 жыл бұрын
Ancient Greeks made the antiktera mechanism,which is quite the complicated machine,it's not far-fetched to think that a "Greek Curt" could be out there.
@TonboIV
5 жыл бұрын
@@Bronze_Age_Sea_Person The components of the Anitkthera are much larger, and also somewhat simpler. It's a very surprising device to be sure, but it doesn't measure up to modern precision engineering.
@Kamadev888
2 жыл бұрын
They did, friend, and even more complex- the Anthikithera device.
@therealzilch
10 жыл бұрын
Very cool. These were of course not cheap back in the day either- a friend of mine in high school had one but I couldn't afford it. I have an Ohdner calculator of about the same vintage. It was invented in 1873 and works similarly, so the idea is an old one. But it's not a pocket device- it's the size of a small loaf of bread. The Curta is a wonder of mechanical elegance.
@MattMcIrvin
6 жыл бұрын
I remember going to a party at one of my physics professors' houses in college. He had an Odhner calculator and he gave it to us cold and challenged us to figure out how to do long division on it. We got it in 20 or 30 minutes.
@ari-cowan
2 жыл бұрын
I was a SCCA Professional rallye driver in the early 1970s. My co-driver used a Curta to do all the time/speed/distance calculations. One of the wonderful things about the Curta is that you could, to some extent, set it up by feel (although we had interior lamps (red) for Curta, the Halda odometer, and Heuer timepieces). The Curta was tough, accurate, and easy to use - a work of art and genius.
@SGManiac1255
11 жыл бұрын
living in a digital world, i find a simple elegance in this... i wish that things like this were still made and improved upon.
@googelygoo1
8 жыл бұрын
My grandfather grew up in Germany following the second world war and stayed there until the late 80s. I'm not sure where he got it from, but he gifted me one of these and every once in a while I like to look and see how much these things cost. I'd never dream of selling it but I always thought it was interesting.
@carlmmii
12 жыл бұрын
To me, this is more impressive than any electronic device that will ever be created. It's all mechanical. It "fits" in your pocket. And it multiplies faster than my computer starts up. I'm sold.
@eddotron1224
8 жыл бұрын
Anyone else want to see a Matt Parker unboxing for this?
@BearsThatCare
8 жыл бұрын
+Edward Sim Probably give it a 2 for accuracy.
@eddotron1224
8 жыл бұрын
Bear McBear MC Hmm, infinite cred though
@redbull5030
7 жыл бұрын
Edward Sim you evil
@melissacorrea8732
6 жыл бұрын
I DO I DO I DO!
@chase0734
8 жыл бұрын
SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!!
@holysword876
8 жыл бұрын
I was gonna say that :(
@phalanx3803
5 жыл бұрын
you got over $1000
@TheAviator226
10 жыл бұрын
I know this video is two years old, but I'm over here nerd-gasming. I collect antiques, especially devises that display amazing mechanical engineering like this one. I'm on the prowl for one now, thanks!
@oracleofottawa
7 жыл бұрын
These were very popular with land surveyors, my old boss had one, which he utterly treasured.
@lochinvar00465
7 жыл бұрын
I saw an ad for this in American Scientific back when I was a Jr High School. I wanted one. Had no idea it would become a cult classic!
@IYQ1317
12 жыл бұрын
I wish they would produce them again. I think that this would be an interesting way to help children learn multiplication. With turning the crank of the calculator it makes it a physical action which would probably help in memorization and it would certainly keep their attention.
@chselegin
7 жыл бұрын
Really amazing! We need some company to do replicas of this engineering masterpiece.
@danielstephenson7558
2 жыл бұрын
Wouldn't that be something!
@rhiannonk3176
8 жыл бұрын
I wish someone would make these. I would buy one.
@moikkis65
8 жыл бұрын
i could sell one for you but if you check the price in ebay its pretty expensive
@moikkis65
8 жыл бұрын
+Renner just search curta calculator from ebay mine is bot for sale yet
@ChrstphreCampbell
7 жыл бұрын
You'll be able to print one up for yourself in a few years.
@jlco
7 жыл бұрын
+Chrstphre Campbell Hmm... we just need someone to design it in SolidWorks or AutoCAD, I guess. (Would 3dsMax, Maya, or Blender work?) Maybe I'll do it one day if nobody else has.
@jlco
7 жыл бұрын
kzitem.info/news/bejne/255owGVnppuCY6w Never mind. It's been done. Too bad the only 3D printer I would be able to get access to is almost certainly incapable of handling the size or precision of those parts.
@madelinepoopoo
10 жыл бұрын
I loved this video and the Curta so much that I went out on eBay and bought one! Cost me $500. I hope it was worth it.
@rahul327
12 жыл бұрын
I am simply blown away by the ingenuity and engineering required to build a device like that which is so user friend
@rotwang2000
8 жыл бұрын
A relative of mine had one, I played with it as a child and when he died they offered it to me, but I wasn't interested at the time, still kicking myself every day for that ...
@condorboss3339
9 жыл бұрын
A friend of mine had one in the late 1960s. Truly a beautiful machine
@livinginvancouverbc2247
8 жыл бұрын
That blew my mind. I want one.
@SarahScratches
12 жыл бұрын
Found the manual online. For everyone wondering about division it's done the same way as multiplication, except looking for the correct output instead of the correct multiplier. So, 42/7 is calculated by setting the input to 7 and keep adding 7 to the output until 42 it reached the multiplier (white) is the answer. The manual also explains things like division with decimals, etc. And with addition, and multiplication all kinds of things are possible including square root, sine and cosine. =)
@dillmon1
8 жыл бұрын
That amazing object is the epitome of form and function
@CCCPUTER
9 жыл бұрын
Such an astounding contraption! Beautiful look, love the little noises it makes.
@PrimusProductions
9 жыл бұрын
If you do 0 to the 0, does it generate electricity?
@oneonta310
9 жыл бұрын
The world implodes.
@Tursiopstruncatus
9 жыл бұрын
Primus Productions Yes! Free energy!
@Ruminations09
9 жыл бұрын
+Primus Productions 0 to the power of 0 is just 1, though I'm not sure if the Curta would give the right answer as that's a more extraneous equation.
@dementy9
9 жыл бұрын
+PokemonTom09 numberphile has a video linked to 0^0, and its not 1
@PrimusProductions
9 жыл бұрын
PokemonTom09 'twas a joke.
@danielstephenson7558
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks to this video, two things have happened: 1) The value of Curta calculators have skyrocketed. 2) I now have a mechanical calculator :)
@AndrewTSq
9 жыл бұрын
amazing!. had to go into ebay and look, but the prices are a bit too high for me :-) The design of it is timeless, it looks really ace!
@Owlero
9 жыл бұрын
When I first saw it I thought it was a modern revision. Truly timeless.
@lohikarhu734
Жыл бұрын
My best friend in the 60's-80's (sadly died in '86) was a champion rally navigator, and, indeed, had a Curta, and made special odometers, with precision gear trains, to get exact distances from a front wheel(in rear-drive cars) speedometer drive cable...even had 3 or more odometer sections for keeping track of section totals, upcoming turns, and all of that 'navigating stuff'...
@fryncyaryorvjink2140
9 жыл бұрын
I would be tempted to open it up. They should make a clear one
@avitalalef9947
4 жыл бұрын
It looks like the kind of stuff that my grandfather would have in his house. Love you :3
@Seabass20329
8 жыл бұрын
This video is going to cost me $700 cause I definitely need one of these.
@spinal_capped
7 жыл бұрын
I loved the interesting bit of trivia at 4:25 about the Curta's utilization among rally drivers and their co-drivers!!! I love when the worlds of automobiles and motorsport collide with the art of science and mathematics. This kind of innovation is truly what set the automobile apart from horse-drawn carts and wagons. NOW I MUST SAVE UP FOR A CURTA CALCULATOR!!!! (Thanks, Numberphile!! Lol)
@MarvelDcImage
10 жыл бұрын
Sometimes I feel digitalization has been negative to the human race when you see these analog devices.
@MattMcIrvin
6 жыл бұрын
The Curta is digital technology! A slide rule is analog, but the Curta uses exact values represented as digits--decimal rather than binary as an electronic calculator would use.
@jdwatson6994
8 жыл бұрын
I have a Curta --used it for surveying calculations in the field.
@gavincurtis
11 жыл бұрын
Divide by zero and it becomes a hand grenade.
@crazychris960
12 жыл бұрын
I believe many models of this type of calculator also had a switch to make a single turn subtract, so you could divide by clearing, adding the numerator, and then subtract the denominator until the total is less than the denominator. The value in the total display is the remainder and the value in the white count (number of turns) display is the quotient + 1 (because the initial addition added an extra turn).
@thoranzalarvhazen4250
8 жыл бұрын
A steampunk hipster's dream
@Gorvinhagen
11 ай бұрын
"Effortful" Not only does this channel provide us with amazing maths knowledge, we get an English lesson! Cheers.
@miguelmouta
8 жыл бұрын
And very soon the quantum computers shall be old dust .
@dannygjk
11 жыл бұрын
Before electronic calculators you could use this machine to do any arithmetic. You would only need the standard tables for the trig and logarithmic functions, which were around long before this machine was invented. The mathematicians, physicists, chemists, etc., could use calculus, statistics, etc., to derive equations, then use this machine to calculate results in the application of the equations. This was a huge leap beyond the slide rule, partly because it enabled more precise results.
@jjwarner9419
8 жыл бұрын
Put 999999999 x 999999999 into it.
@MrRtkwe
8 жыл бұрын
+JJ Warner I did 99999999x999999999 (the turns counter only has 8 digits and I didn't want to count 90 extra turns for nothing) and the answer has overflowed (obviously) so the result register reads 999998900000001 which is accurate for the digits it can actually represent. The full answer is 99999998900000001 (I'll save everyone the trouble the Curta overflows the leftmost 2 9s)
@jjwarner9419
8 жыл бұрын
MrRtkwe You must be fun at parties.
@MrRtkwe
8 жыл бұрын
JJ Warner Didn't take long just 72 crank turns. It's a fast little machine.
@matthewbolan8154
8 жыл бұрын
+MrRtkwe Im pretty sure that isnt the right answer.
@MrRtkwe
8 жыл бұрын
Matthew Bolan You'll have to be more specific. Which number there's many in my post? The first one definitely isn't right it overflowed but the digits that were there are right. And the second is direct from google. Also notice I didn't do the exact number OP asked for because it's more than the turn counter will hold.
@Yggdrasil42
3 жыл бұрын
After watching this video and Adam Savage's, I just had to had one. Managed to pick one up for a fair price and I gotta say it looks even more amazing in real life and feels great to use. No regrets (though I doubt I'll be using it for any real calculations ;))
@DRnab1983
9 жыл бұрын
There was one on pawn stars
@zappawoman5183
6 жыл бұрын
This is a beautiful machine and works so smoothly and elegantly.
@Jarn73
8 жыл бұрын
Very beautiful...but looks like a granade!
@MyurrDurr
7 жыл бұрын
I am so glad i am not the only who thought that! If you pulled that out in school you'd be kicked out
@MattMcIrvin
6 жыл бұрын
It's sometimes referred to as the math grenade.
@jessstuart7495
6 жыл бұрын
Pepper mill. Would you like some cracked numbers on your salad?
@Joxzeth
2 жыл бұрын
Holly genius that man, how is even possible to imagine something like this. Amazing!
@IanSan56
10 жыл бұрын
But does it run Tetris?
@uzor123
11 жыл бұрын
What a beautiful little thing. I'm astonished by all mechanized things, and this was pretty, clean and it was working really good! Great work on that machine seriously!.
@babis8142
10 жыл бұрын
what happens if you exeed the maximum number it can calculate? Does it go back down to zero?
@servalcat
6 жыл бұрын
It overflows--the most significant digit is lost.
@XouZ88
9 жыл бұрын
I'm amazed of how this things even looks :O
@adoyaben
8 жыл бұрын
I would love to have one BUT $1,600 ON AMAZON!!!!????
@Yggdrasil42
3 жыл бұрын
I just bought one for €900 on eBay. Gotta be patient and you can usually get better prices on the smaller local markets.
@AsymptoteInverse
7 жыл бұрын
What a beautiful little thing.
@jeanious2009
9 жыл бұрын
When he states "digital" folks he doesn't mean "electronic" LOL.Digital as in numerals.
@bazookamoose7224
4 жыл бұрын
I might not be the biggest math guy, but being a retro-tech man and a machinist... I have always wanted one of these since my grandfather tried to teach me math with slide rules and had me work with a telex. It's on my top 10 list of things to have in my possession by death and one of the top three to pass down to my children. Thanks for doing the light puff piece on it, it's difficult to explain the concept of a mechanical computer to newer generations with out a working example.
@ihathtelekinesis
8 жыл бұрын
Display: 6 Functionality: 1 (can only do multiplication) Accuracy: 4 (no decimals) Ergonomics: 7 (fits quite snugly in the hand) Cred: 11 Durability: ???
@chainsawofdeath
8 жыл бұрын
I see that you are also a big fan of matt parker's calculator reviews
@rhamph
8 жыл бұрын
Only 11 cred?! It's easily 20 or 30!
@TheMrDemonized
7 жыл бұрын
7,8/10 too much calculations
@magnetar02p.23
7 жыл бұрын
ihathtelekinesis no, you can definitely do more than just multiplication
@OrlandoMGarcia
7 жыл бұрын
ihathtelekinesis it can do all kind of division, substraction, multiply, square root, add, and factorize
@thorham1346
7 жыл бұрын
Truly a thing of beauty.
@JonWhitton
8 жыл бұрын
Made in Liechtenstein, I wonder what else has been made there in the 20th century. Doubt much is being made there now.
@KindGottes92
6 жыл бұрын
Neutrik is making great plugs ther for stage-use
@mx2000
6 жыл бұрын
Hilti (hammer drills and other professional construction tools) is baed in Liechtenstein
@SuperAaronbennett
9 жыл бұрын
That is an amazing piece of Tech.....awesome!! Thanks for sharing!
@tim8190
8 жыл бұрын
anyone has a link where i can buy like a rip off?
@clayton8or
7 жыл бұрын
Rip offs dont exist unfortunately
@advgabe
10 жыл бұрын
Curtas are such great fun. I have a type 1 and it blows people away. Thanks for the neat little video!
@javierreyna5321
10 жыл бұрын
What would happen if you put 999,999,999 (all 9's possible) times x (any number). I know, engineering speaking there is a limit, but what would Curta do/show? Numberphile
@caseyhayes7510
7 жыл бұрын
Javier Reyna it would overflow to zero then continue the calculation
@servalcat
6 жыл бұрын
It overflows--the most significant digits of the result are lost; the rest of the digits are correct.
@m8sonmiller
11 жыл бұрын
I read about those in Scientific American a couple of years ago and I've been fascinated with them since. Very cool.
@GuanHuang216
9 жыл бұрын
But... how do you divide numbers?
@msolec2000
9 жыл бұрын
Guan Huang Subtract until you get to zero, and see how many times was that. :)
@GuanHuang216
9 жыл бұрын
-_-
@msolec2000
9 жыл бұрын
Guan Huang That's how computers divide, btw.
@spartanfoxie
9 жыл бұрын
msolec2000 most computers have up and down shifters which can double or half binary values a more efficient way is to shift first then subtract making the calculation faster but using more memory like to times by 10 you shift x three times save to memory then shift x 2 times save to memory and add both of these together so unless a computer doesn't have shifters or maybe it has a barrel shifter allowing it to shift more than once at a time allowing it to do division even faster and no matter how high the number is in the same amount of time so there's no repeat until 0 otherwise large numbers would be slow and small numbers would be fast
@msolec2000
9 жыл бұрын
Well, that shifter is in the Curta too, the top carriage. It just multiplies by 10 instead of 2.
@dannygjk
11 жыл бұрын
The Curta has built-in 'functions' to speed up multiplication. Also you can use tables of logs to speed up multiplication, the 13th root of 1 million etc.
@Kibadda123
10 жыл бұрын
How do you divide using that calculator?
@servalcat
6 жыл бұрын
The switch on the side changes the crank from adding to subtracting. With the switch in the subtraction position, it counts the cranks needed to drive the top register to zero. (You have to look at the register to see when you pass zero.)
@ct92404
6 жыл бұрын
David Fink I figured there HAD to be a way. Antique mechanical adding machines can also subtract and divide. Even though they're called "adding" machines, they did a lot of other operations by entering in "complimentary numbers" and using other tricks. It's amazing what these mechanical devices were capable of doing once you learn how to use them.
@YesNowGoAway
12 жыл бұрын
Wow, this is an absolutely beautiful machine.
@PocketBeemRocket
11 жыл бұрын
Electricity doesn't randomly stop working after an EMP, it just frys all electronics more advanced than a vacuum tube. As for reactors, most of them have a manual physical arrest device or a chemical process that arrests the process when the reactor breaches a certain temperature. Provided that the rest of the reactor doesn't melt or break in half during the apocalyptic earthquake soon to go.
@misium
11 жыл бұрын
Yes it is . For substraction you rotate the opposite way, and division is multiple substraction: 24/3: Insert 24 into the top register, the accumulator, (this involves zeroing it and adding 24), then set the input register to 3 and start substracting it from 24 by rotating the handle "the wrong way". When the accumulator reaches 0, read the amount of turns in the counter register. That's the result. You shift the whole thing when dividing a large number.
@okaro6595
2 ай бұрын
No, so subtract you pull the handle up. You always rotate to the same direction.
@bya202118
3 жыл бұрын
this is exactly the same as Marchant XLA calculator but pocket size built in 1912 ahead of Curta. On Marchant, you can do division using repetitive addition of the divisor and get accurate answer up to 8th decimal points. Also, subtraction and square root calculation is possible. Amazing!
@glitchxero4687
9 жыл бұрын
So elegant and functional at the same time. Truly a marvel of Austrian engineering. Want. So. Badly.
@fountainovaphilosopher8112
7 жыл бұрын
Amazing,and the idea is so simple.I can think of how it works.
@misium
11 жыл бұрын
I stand corrected, in this model, to substract , you pull up the handle and rotate the right way. For the record, there were many kinds of desk calculating machines that did the same thing at that time and much earlier. This was probably the most compact one though.
@goeiecool9999
11 жыл бұрын
Turns out my grandpa had a mechanical calculator too. When I visited my grandma I got it of the shelve and played around a bit. At some parts it needed a bit of oil. but it is an awesome thing it could add/subtract multiply and even divide.
@TheOtherKT
12 жыл бұрын
Ever since I read about this device in a magazine, I've always wanted to get one. Seeing it in action makes me want it even more.
@Nebulae8
12 жыл бұрын
Must get one. This is genius. Good work Sir Curta.
@Alkoholwioslaidziwki
11 жыл бұрын
The statement is not an oxymoron. Mechanical means that it physically moves stuff with force, while digital means that it deals with discontinious numbers.
@dannygjk
11 жыл бұрын
Mechanical machines were used to help create tables of logarithms :) These tables were used to further quicken doing roots etc.
@MichaelZola
11 жыл бұрын
Very nice item, and very practical design
@cresleyb
9 жыл бұрын
Wow, I wish these were still in production.
@sirsanti8408
2 жыл бұрын
This thing honestly inspires more awe than your average 5 dollar calculator but the fact that something as complex as this calculator can be miniaturized into something as big as your thumb thanks to electronics is very much insane
@DarkAngelEU
12 жыл бұрын
that is even more amazing than a digital calculator that can make curves and solve functions. This is grand.
@MarcelKessler
12 жыл бұрын
Wow dudes, thanks for this particular video. My math teacher had one of those and since then I couldn't find that thing on the internet. This piewce of engineering is just marvelous :-)
@jero37
12 жыл бұрын
I'd known about these beforehand, thanks for reminding me of a beautiful piece of machinery.
@thethirdman225
5 жыл бұрын
I remember my Dad bringing one of those home from work in the 1960s.
@jedi1357
11 жыл бұрын
The Curta crank can only be turned in one direction. Normally the counter will only count up as it is turned. If you want the counter to decrement for subtraction or division, you slide that switch. It reverses the movement of the counter.
@dejalpa1
12 жыл бұрын
William Gibson mentions Curtas in Pattern Recognition! They are more amazing than I thought!
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