Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

There used to be all sorts of cardboard "slide rules" that basically used slide rule-like principles to do calculations specific to some particular industry or function. I saw a bunch of them when I was in the oil business.

Kitchen can be a little harder with Imperial because you're often switching between units like fractions of cups to tablespoons etc. Must say I've never thought of using a slide rule of which I have a number--and I do usually use grams for weight.



> There used to be all sorts of cardboard "slide rules" that basically used slide rule-like principles to do calculations specific to some particular industry or function

Those are nomograms, and agreed - they're really freaking cool: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomogram


>Those are nomograms, and agreed - they're really freaking cool: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomogram

I'm going to start making these to help Europeans convert back to Imperial measures: no mo grams(tm)!


You mean not just Europeans, but more than 95% of the planet's population? (Also, I'm not sure I quite understand the semantics of "convert" used here)


It's a pun. Nomograms - no mo(more) grams. A product that converts grams into another unit.


Technically, the ones with slides are called "perrygrafs" or "slide charts". https://sphere.bc.ca/test/perrygraf.html

Nomograms have no moving slides, they are static printed scales read with an angled straight edge.


This intrigued me so much that I decided to make an interactive version:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35528155


The Proportion Wheel was my best friend in graphic design class. I still have the one I used in college. https://www.outdoorpainter.com/what-is-a-proportional-wheel/




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: