Congratulations! You are now the owner of a watch featuring a rotating logarithmic slide rule. These fascinating instruments, a hallmark of Breitling's Navitimer and other professional models, offer a powerful tool for quick calculations right on your wrist. But unlocking their full potential requires understanding their mechanics and applications. This comprehensive guide will walk you through using the logarithmic slide rule on your Breitling watch, covering everything from basic operations to advanced techniques.
I. Understanding the Breitling Slide Rule: A Quick Overview
Before diving into calculations, let's understand the basic components of the Breitling slide rule. The slide rule itself is usually found on the bezel, a rotating ring surrounding the watch face. This bezel is marked with various scales, typically including:
* Inner Scale (often marked "A" or "B"): Usually a logarithmic scale used in conjunction with other scales for various calculations.
* Outer Scale (often marked "C" or "D"): Another logarithmic scale, often the primary scale used for multiplication and division.
* Additional Scales (e.g., "E," "R," "1/R"): These scales are dedicated to specific functions, such as unit conversions or trigonometric calculations. The exact scales and their markings can vary slightly depending on the specific Breitling model.
The interaction of these scales, based on the principles of logarithms, allows for rapid multiplication, division, squaring, square rooting, and other calculations. It’s important to note that the accuracy is limited, typically to around two significant figures, so it's best suited for estimations and quick calculations rather than high-precision work.
II. How to Use the Logarithmic Slide Rule on Breitling Watches: Basic Operations
Let's start with the fundamental operations: multiplication and division.
A. Multiplication:
1. Identify the scales: Locate the "C" and "D" scales on your Breitling's bezel.
2. Set the first number: Align the index ("1") of the "C" scale with the first number on the "D" scale.
3. Find the second number: Rotate the bezel until the second number on the "C" scale aligns with the index ("1") of the "D" scale.
4. Read the result: The product of the two numbers will be found on the "D" scale, directly below the second number on the "C" scale.
Example: Multiply 2 x 3.
* Align the "1" on the "C" scale with the "2" on the "D" scale.
* Rotate the bezel until the "3" on the "C" scale aligns with the "1" on the "D" scale.
* Read the answer ("6") on the "D" scale, directly below the "3" on the "C" scale.
B. Division:
1. Identify the scales: Again, use the "C" and "D" scales.
2. Set the divisor: Align the divisor on the "C" scale with the dividend on the "D" scale.
3. Read the quotient: The quotient will be found on the "D" scale, directly below the "1" on the "C" scale.
Example: Divide 6 by 3.
* Align the "3" on the "C" scale with the "6" on the "D" scale.
* Read the answer ("2") on the "D" scale, directly below the "1" on the "C" scale.
III. Advanced Operations: Beyond Multiplication and Division