compucorp 320g scientist

portable scientific calculator made by the computer design company (CDC) in 1973. this is the base model of the 320 series which included the 322g and 324g.

it takes 4 D cell batteries (yes D cell), and has a rather nice orange display (sunshine obscures this in the picture).

this unit was built with the mindset of a lab instrument, and probably cost just as much. its very well built and can be dismantled for servicing. the designers really cared about the precision of the machine. it operates to 13 digits and displays 10+2 with scientific display ranging over 10^ +/- 100.

if scientific or engineering calculations are part of your routine, then you've made a wise and logical choice in acquiring the micro scientist. packed under the micro's powerful keyboard is an instrument of great complexity, designed to take the drudgery out of complicated mathematical calculations. it is much easier and faster to use than your slide rule and more accurate than the tables you've been using.

indeed it is, and amazing that this machine is older than this slide rule.

it has 10 memories which can be used with the basic ops to perform sto+, sto-, sto*, st/ and (unusually) rcl+, rcl-, rcl* and rcl/. even a^x can be a constant. note that a^x is the general x^y function (non-integers allowed) a can even be negative if x is integral, which is cool. brackets nest to two levels.

like i said, its portable!

it comes in a special padded carry case and mains PSU which also charges the 4 ni-cad batteries.