Episode 39: The Slide Rule

The slide rule was an essential tool for Técnico students until the introduction of electronic calculators in the 1970s. A copy of the slide rule went to the Moon in the pocket of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Other copies helped generations of Técnico students to solve complex multiplication problems, with applications in mathematics and engineering. A special version of a slide rule is exhibited at Faraday Museum (Alameda campus). It is over 1.8 meters long, and used to be on the wall of an amphitheatre to help Técnico professors to demonstrate its use and share the results with students.

  • Acknowledgements:
    Ana Silvestre (Comunicação Departamento de Matemática)
    Anabela Teixeira
    Gabriel Pires
    Luís Ferreira
    Moisés Piedade
    Departamento de Matemática do Instituto Superior Técnico
    Liceu Camões
    Museu Nacional de História Natural da Universidade de Lisboa
    Museu Faraday

Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm

Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.

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