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pier4r · (This post was last modified: 12-15-2018 12:07 PM by pier4r.)

(12-13-2018 10:53 PM)Dieter Wrote: Yes, nowadays most of these are obsolete, but they add to the somewhat nostalgic feelings you may have while you look at the pages of this book. ;-)

I don't think they are useless (and I remember my primary school math books had them, then they disappeared). Why do I think that math tables are somewhat useful today?

It is a bit like paper dictionaries. You search a word and you may stumble in others while you search it. Or you can do a bit of random looking.
Of course digital dictionaries can simulate this, but not as good as paper ones yet.

The same with the mathematical tables. Sometimes curiosity arises from what one experiences. A clear table with certain numbers may induce the reader to explore more. With a calculator, yes, one can reproduce all the tables one wants (actually it could be quite a relaxing task) but one doesn't think about a result until one needs it.
Therefore one doesn't have the table of numbers already compiled in front of him to start to notice patterns or ask questions.

Aside from the above, I believe one could find mathematical tables in PDF or, as I said, one can make a little relaxing project to compile them with a calculator (not a computer!). Especially for large numbers it may be challenging.
Actually it won't be much relaxing if one wants to be sure there are no typos or errors.

I remember Jürgen posted a video where a 19C printed the first 10'000 prime numbers (n1). Well one can go and print (maybe in a digital way?) the results of the mathematical tables.

n1: http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-10243.html