Chromatography Forum

Dear friends...

I am doing a little survey on how you solve your math problems.

So, if you don't mind, could you please list one or 2 software packages or calculator of your preference?

I'll start:

simple problems - HP 50g, Excel spreadsheets, Statistica.
advanced problems - Matlab or Scilab

Thanks for your time.

for basic arithmetic/math, I still use my old Palm Tungsten.
anything more elaborate, Excel

Excel for basic calculations.
R ( http://www.r-project.org/) for advanced.

Excel for spreadsheet work and a Casio fx-991MS calculator for the basic stuff

Excel and calculator on the PC. This has to be seen on the background that about 15 years ago when I was still running the lab of the university neurosurgery I could not get some more advanced math software, because we also had a mathematician in the department. He worked with a huge machine with magnetic tapes and tried to do some stuff for me.
My work on the doctoral dissertation was done with a slide rule (anybody here knows what that is?) and an electrical-mechanical calculator, a noise monster.

My work on the doctoral dissertation was done with a slide rule(anybody here knows what that is?)

I still keep mine in my desk drawer -- in case of power failure.

My slide rule disappeared when moving to Germany, I am very angry about it. We used to walk around the CU Boulder and University of Denver campus like cowboys, with the leather case of the ruler strapped to our belts.

We used to walk around the CU Boulder and University of Denver campus like cowboys, with the leather case of the ruler strapped to our belts.

My work on the doctoral dissertation was done with a slide rule (anybody here knows what that is?) and an electrical-mechanical calculator, a noise monster.

When I was doing my O-levels in the UK calculators were still banned from the exams. we had to do all calculations manually of with a slide rule.

I just bought a used one on Ebay.

I used to keep 2 calculators, so if one got lost, I didn't have to look for it, I could just wait until someone brought it back. Worked fine until someone realised and taped it to the ceiling above my bench.

I also keep a slide-rule, handy when all calculators are lost simultaneously.

Realistically: Excel for almost everything beyond making up a solution, R when I'm feeling statistical.

In school I used a TI-85 graphing calculator, but now anything simple (+-*/) I do on my cellphone, anything more involved, excel is my friend.

My calculator, I use this every day.


The on-off switch broke about 4 years ago, and I had this toggle switch lying around, and a file folder plastic tab had a nice tint...

I have two plastic slide rules at home (from college). One has that darned logarithmic e scales, never wore those on a belt, though.

I use Excel for most work, but also have 4 Casio fx-82MS calculators strategically placed around my lab ( HPLC, Balance, Office, commute bag ). They fit nicely into pockets made from the plastic containers for 100 autosampler vials, which can be taped to vertical surfaces, such as a wall or side of computer. They're such a low-level model of calculator that nobody "borrows" them.

Cell phone calculator - use most for buffer calculations, and when I'm planning my experiments during a boring seminar
Excel spreadsheet - have my method development templates all set up here
Origin Pro - for full-control pretty graphs

Excel and Origin