the human calculator

[low_delta]

Today's Google Doodle was in honor of Shakuntala Devi.

In 1977 at the Southern Methodist University she was asked to give the 23rd root of a 201-digit number; she answered in 50 seconds. Her answer, 546,372,891, was confirmed by calculations done at the U.S. Bureau of Standards by the UNIVAC 1101 computer, for which a special program had to be written to perform such a large calculation.

Comments

[mellary4.livejournal.com]

That is really impressive! I told a friend once that when I worked in a factory, to keep myself entertained, I'd add up large numbers in my head. He was impressed until I told him that I had no idea if I was right LOL!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

:-D

[mummm.livejournal.com]

What an amazing brain!

I am sure that you will appreciate today's honoree too… Raymond Loewy, though his design of the coke bottle was not the most honest one ever since it made it look as if there was a lot more fluid in it than there really was. (is)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's quite a list of iconic designs!

[mummm.livejournal.com]

I wish I were so amazing! :^)

[cleobatya.livejournal.com]

I read about her too. so cool!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I can't even imagine how to find the 23rd root of a number!

[cleobatya.livejournal.com]

did you read about her book on homosexuality? very interesting life history too.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah. That's quite different from mathematics!