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The Little Professor is a backwards-functioning
Little Professor
– presented by James Grime and
Little Professor Solar
– on TI.com Texas Instruments calculators Texas Instruments hardware
The Little Professor is a backwards-functioning calculator
An electronic calculator is typically a portable electronic device used to perform calculations, ranging from basic arithmetic to complex mathematics.
The first solid-state electronic calculator was created in the early 1960s. Pocket-sized ...
designed for children ages 5 to 9. Instead of providing the answer to a mathematical expression
In mathematics, an expression or mathematical expression is a finite combination of symbols that is well-formed according to rules that depend on the context. Mathematical symbols can designate numbers ( constants), variables, operations, ...
entered by the user, it generates unsolved expressions and prompts the user for the answer.
Usage
When the user turns the Little Professor on and selects a difficulty level, an incomplete equation such as "3 x 6 =" appears on theLED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (cor ...
screen. The user has three chances to enter the correct number. If the answer is incorrect, the screen displays "EEE". After the third wrong answer, the correct answer is displayed. If the answer supplied is correct, the Little Professor goes to the next equation. The Little Professor displays the number of correct first answers after each set of 10 problems. The device is powered by a 9-volt battery.
History
The Little Professor was first released byTexas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that designs and manufactures semiconductors and various integrated circuits, which it sells to electronics designers and manufacturers globall ...
on June 13, 1976. As the first electronic educational toy, the Little Professor is a common item on calculator collectors' lists.
In 1976, the Little Professor cost less than $20. More than 1 million units sold in 1977.
The second generation Little Professor was designed by Mark Bailey whilst working for Raffo and Pape. In a brief interview in 2013 Bailey stated 'I've designed everything from private jets to pregnancy tests but Little Professor remains the highlight of my career.'
A solar version of Little Professor was introduced during the 2000s.
An emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run software or use peri ...
of the Little Professor for Android was published in 2012.
In 2015, the MESS
The mess (also called a mess deck aboard ships) is a designated area where military personnel socialize, eat and (in some cases) live. The term is also used to indicate the groups of military personnel who belong to separate messes, such as the o ...
emulator also included the original Little Professor as a sort of pack-in.
See also
* DatamanReferences
{{reflistExternal links
Little Professor
– presented by James Grime and
Brady Haran
Brady John Haran (born 18 June 1976) is an Australian-British independent filmmaker and video journalist who produces educational videos and documentary films for his YouTube channels, the most notable being '' Periodic Videos'' and ''Numbe ...
, (Mathematical Sciences Research Institute
The Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath), formerly the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), is an independent nonprofit mathematical research institution on the University of California campus in Berkeley, Califor ...
)
Little Professor Solar
– on TI.com Texas Instruments calculators Texas Instruments hardware