Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator
by Keith Houston
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Description
"The hidden history of the pocket calculator -- a device that ushered in modern mathematics, helped build the atomic bomb, and went with us to the moon -- and the mathematicians, designers, and inventors who brought it to life." -- back coverTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This is a rather witty social and mathematical history of the pocket calculator. As with most good history books, it goes beyond the limits of the subtitle and actually starts off with the most basic of counting machines, the hand, and progresses through counting boards, abacuses and so on to the rise of mechanical and electrical devices. Very informative, minutely endnoted and a pleasure to read.
This was not my favorite topic ever to read about, but it was quite well written and I liked the images and design.
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W. W. Norton & Company
47 works; 2 members
Author Information
4 Works 1,792 Members
Keith Houston is the creator of the Shady Characters blog, ShadyCharacters.co.uk. He and his wife live in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Classifications
- Genres
- Technology, Science & Nature, History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 510.285 — Natural sciences & mathematics Mathematics Mathematics / Graphs Miscellany
- LCC
- QA75 .H68 — Science Mathematics Mathematics Instruments and machines Calculating machines Electronic computers. Computer science
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 97
- Popularity
- 332,281
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.81)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 1
