X = 2

I guess I could talk about Jack Kilby tonight. Not that I know anything about him or have a clue about how he did what he did - except change the world of course. But blogging and techy stuff just seem to go together, so I'll chip in what I can.

Oh, by the way, Jack Kilby was the co-inventor of the integrated circuit.

Anyways, the thing that sticks out most in my mind is the slide rule, and the fact that you don't see too many of those around anymore. Jack Kilby changed that, and even if he never accomplished anything else in his life the world would still owe him a huge debt of gratitude just for that. Geez, it seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in Mr. Barnes 7th grade math class trying to learn the intricacies of the A, B, C, and D scales and all those other weird looking things, and then Jack Kilby came along and invented the electronic calculator and changed the world forever. Now whenever you go into a McDonalds or a Burger King the person behind the counter doesn't even have to know how to add and subtract. They just press the little button that says "Hamburger" and the machine does all the math.

It's a Brave New World.

I know people under the age of 30 don't have a clue what I'm talking about, but when I was a kid (uh-oh, here it comes), I mean when "I" was a kid you actually had to know how to add 2 numbers together and get a result. You know, 8 + 5 = 13, leave the 3 and carry the one, 3 + 2 = 5 and voila, the answer is 53, that kind of stuff. And later, when you mastered you basic cyphers they stuck you in slide rule class where you had to learn slide this stick back and forth and move this little window in order to do things like multiply and divide really big numbers. You couldn't just punch the numbers in and press the equal sign to get the answer. In those days, men were men and you had to work for every answer you got.

It's funny but I wonder how many kids today would even know what a slide rule is. One, maybe two would be my guess. For the rest you'd have to explain how in the old days every kid had to learn how to use them and how their parents would take them down to the drugstore or five-and-dime and buy them one to take to school along with their pencil box and binder and pee chee folders, and then after you'd explained it all the kid would probably just yawn and look at you funny and tell you he needs to go log on to his computer so he can download a term paper for his english class tomorrow.

Ah yes, this modern world of ours. You know what we be really funny is to go up to a kid and ask him "Are there any five-and-dimes around here where I can buy a slide rule?" I'd like to see what kind of reaction that would get?

Oh well, I've still got my old slide rule from Junior High School. I don't know why - I just never got around to throwing it out I guess. What's really cool, though, is that I've still got my father's 1950's vintage Sun Hemmi No. 259 bamboo model in the original leather case. It's not worth much money (from around $30.00 to $75.00 from as near as I can tell), but it was my fathers and I remember how he always carried it around with him in his briefcase whenever he went to work or on a business trip. I also remember how I used to open up his briefcase sometimes and look at it and think that my dad must have been the smartest person in the world to be able to figure out what all those little numbers and hash marks meant.

Which brings up another point. Namely, the worst mistake you can ever make when you have an engineer father is asking him to help you with your math homework. I didn't want to bring this up while he was alive, but now that he has passed on I guess I can go ahead and mention it. Asking an engineer father to help you with your math homework is like sticking your head under Niagra Falls just to get a drink of water - you're almost certain to get way more than you bargained for.

"Dad, can you help me with my math homework?"

"Sure, what are you having trouble with?"

"Well, I can't figure this out. It says 2x + 3 = 7, solve for x. What am I supposed to do?"

"Oh, algebra, huh? Yeah, that can be a little tough sometimes. Get me some graph paper and I'll show you what to do."

"Graph paper? I don't think we're supposed to use graph paper Dad. That's not what the teacher showed us in class."

"What? No wonder you can't figure it out. It'll be much clearer if you graph it out. Go bring me my brief case and I think there should be a pad of graph paper in there "

"Well, oooooookaaaaaay..."

"I don't know where they get these teachers these days. Now you see we draw two lines like this. The horizontal one is called the x-axis and the vertical one is called the y-axis. Now what was that problem again?"

"That looks like Geometry dad. We don't start Geometry until next year."

"No, it's not Geometry, it's Algebra. Now what was that problem?"

"2x + 3 = 7. Solve for x"

"Okay, first we start with x. Now, you see, this is the x-axis so we just...er..."

"Dad, I don't think we're supposed to solve it like that."

"No, the way I'm showing you is better. Now, let me see, it's been so long since I did any Algebra. You plot out x along this axis and..."

"Aren't you supposed to subtract 3 from both sides or something like that?"

"What? No, yes, not now, ok? Let me think here a minute. This angle here is my theta and so the delta is going to be my (mumble, mumble, mumble...)"

"Dad?"

"Give me a minute to work this out, son. It's been a while since I've done any (mumble, mumble, mumble...)"

"I think there's a simpler way to do this."

"Go over to my briefcase and bring me my slide rule, will you? There, now let me just try a few test calculations and then I'll remember what you're supposed to do."

"Can I go watch TV now?"

"What? No. No TV. We've got to finish this first. You want to learn how to do this don't you?"

"(Not now I don't.)"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"There! Now what was that problem again?"

"Twooooo eeeeeex plussssss threeeeeeeee eeeeeequals seeeeeeeeven. Solve... For... X."

"Okay. You see that point there, if we just draw a line and then...hand me my slide rule again. There, got it. The answer is sin squared x over e to the negative theta."

"Huh?"

"Doesn't that sound right?"

"I don't think that's how the teacher showed us how to do it."

"Well, how did he show you how to do it?"

"I don't know. You're supposed to add to both sides and then multiply by something and then the x is supposed to be on one side and the answer is supposed to be on the other."

"Oh, is that how they're teaching you nowdays?"

"I guess so."

"Well they've changed everything around since I went to school. Maybe you better bring me your book and let me take a look."

"That's ok Dad, I'll figure it out."

"Are you sure? It might be clearer if I helped you."

"No, that's alright. Thanks Dad. I better go finish my homework now."

"Ok, but let me know if you need any help, ok?"

"Ok, thanks."

You know I was just looking at this slide rule and even after all these years I think I still know how to use it. Let's see, you take the 1 on the B scale and line it up under the 2 on the A scale, and you move the slider down the B scale to the 4, and then you look back up on the A scale and the answer is 8. 2 x 4 = 8. How 'bout that. I guess there are still a few neurons firing up there in the old gray matter yet.

Anybody need help with their homework?