Great reply,
but I can think of a circumstance in which 4 or more slide rule places might come in handy - such as if i should lend 347,250 and need to know my exact return at 3.72%. I'd want a slide rule accurate to 6 places, maybe 8... the ship often lent money or gave credit to sailors. The captain just took it from their wages.
Old nav or sailing books often had a chapter on ship's finances and the buying of overseas supplies and cargo. I suppose they did their important 6 digit figuring longhand. Even log tables might not account for every penny.
However, you are right in engineering terms. Why provide for 4 digit accuracy when the machinery is only capable of 3.
Great story about Winston... where in the world did you ever get that info... funny, yet a poignant truism.
I'm with you... I hardly give Europe any notice... I live in the Philippines.
but I can think of a circumstance in which 4 or more slide rule places might come in handy - such as if i should lend 347,250 and need to know my exact return at 3.72%. I'd want a slide rule accurate to 6 places, maybe 8... the ship often lent money or gave credit to sailors. The captain just took it from their wages.
Old nav or sailing books often had a chapter on ship's finances and the buying of overseas supplies and cargo. I suppose they did their important 6 digit figuring longhand. Even log tables might not account for every penny.
However, you are right in engineering terms. Why provide for 4 digit accuracy when the machinery is only capable of 3.
Great story about Winston... where in the world did you ever get that info... funny, yet a poignant truism.
I'm with you... I hardly give Europe any notice... I live in the Philippines.