The slide rule, also known as a skipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division and also for "scientific" functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but does not generally perform addition or subtraction.
Slide rules come in a diverse range of styles and generally appear in a linear or circular form with a standardized set of markings (scales) essential to performing mathematical computations. Slide rules manufactured for specialized fields such as aviation or finance typically eature additional scales that aid in calculations common to that field. |
