Game where you can use your calculus skills

[trailrunner]

I'm an engineer and I loved calculus.  I was a double major (engineering and math) for a while, and took all the extra math classes I could.  Our engineering department emphasized math.  I loved mathematical physics - lots of advanced calculus in that class.  Loved it.

I also learned FORTRAN, and I learned it using punch chards.  Those were NOT the good old days.  Punch your cards, submit your job, wait two hours, only to find that you had a syntax error because you mis-typed a character.

BTW, anybody still have an RPN calculator?

NERD!!!

Aw shucks.  You flatter me.   

[mirth]

You wanna be the Grogheads IT guy?

[bbmike]

I thought Crazy Girl was the Grogheads IT guy!

[mirth]

I'm fine with that

[trailrunner]

You wanna be the Grogheads IT guy?

Sure.  I'll just telnet in with my 300 baud acoustic modem.

[mirth]

You wanna be the Grogheads IT guy?

Sure.  I'll just telnet in with my 300 baud acoustic modem.

You may be a little too advanced for Brant.

[Philippe]

BTW, anybody still have an RPN calculator?

The standard financial calculator used to be the Hewlett Packard 12c.  When I was in school we used to joke about its being in RPN, and what the letters in the acronym stand for.  To do 2+2=4 you hit the clear button a couple of times, then 2 enter 2 plus.  There's no equal sign and it saves you a lot of time when you're doing a long series of calculations on an exam.  I use it to do reality checks on Excel spreadsheets (which are more powerful but harder to set up).  But you need to know approximately what the answer should be because it's really easy for expressions that you had thought you'd erased to creep into the formula and throw things completely off.

[jomni]

Ah the HP 12c.  I had to use that for my CFA exams.

[bbmike]

Ah the HP 12c.  I had to use that for my CFA exams.

NERD!!!

[mirth]

Jomni is the new Grogheads IT guy  O0

[trailrunner]

I got an HP-15c as a graduation present when I got my B.S. in 1983.  That calculator was one of the greatest creations in mankind's history. 

Once you get used to it, RPN was great for complex calculations (which is not the same as calculations involving complex numbers).

For a while I was collaborating with another engineer at another R&D facility.  We got along pretty well, and got to know each other.  We finally reached the point when he asked me, in a quiet voice: "Dave, I need to know - are you an HP guy?"  When I answered "yes," our bro-nerd relationship was cemented.

I have a couple more stories about me and calculators that would certify me as double-platinum-gonzo NERD.  So here goes -- Once, when I was in band camp....

[mirth]

Congrats. Brant will be in touch shortly.

[jomni]

Jomni is the new Grogheads IT guy  O0

What are the perks?

[mirth]

Jomni is the new Grogheads IT guy  O0

What are the perks?

Hahahaha!

[FarAway Sooner]

You know, I had a great high school Calculus prof--might have been the most influential teacher I ever had--but when I got to college, I developed a quick distaste for the subject matter.  I also realized that, while I was extremely good at arithmetic, I wasn't nearly as good at math as I thought.

But I can still do arithmetic in my head like a mad man.  It was my party trick in college to try to convince people I was sober.  Needless to say, it didn't impress the chicks much...

As for calculators, I was strictly a TI-35 guy.  I never had much use for the Poles and their calculators.