Texas Instruments MBA Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1978
name: label: maker
content: Texas Instruments
notes: label: Description
content: Advertised as a “powerhouse of financial and statistical problem solving,” this handheld financial calculator has a black plastic case and forty small rectangular plastic keys arranged in eight rows. In addition to ten digit keys, a decimal point key, and a change sign key (all off-white), the calculator has a total key and four arithmetic function keys (all gold). The remaining keys are brown. Pushing the “2nd” key allows keys to serve a “dual function,” which is denoted by text above the keys. The calculator provides a wide variety of statistical and accounting functions. It includes thirty-two step programming.
label: Description
content: A mark at the top of the keyboard reads: The MBA. Text behind the display reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS. Next to this is an on/off switch. Behind this is an eight-digit LED display.
label: Description
content: A jack for a power supply is along the right edge.
label: Description
content: Text on the back of the calculator reads in part: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (/) electronic calculator (/) SERIAL NO. (/) 324706. It has the date mark: ATA3578. It also reads in part: ASSEMBLED IN USA. Below the marks is a compartment that holds a battery pack. Text on it reads: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BATTERY PACK BP-7. There are no screws on the back of the case and the chips are not visible.
label: Description
content: The calculator has a black zippered plastic case with a carrying loop.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.050 (the TI-55 scientific calculator).
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Boston Globe</I>, November 6, 1977, p. 75. TI MBA selling for $64.95.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I> Los Angeles Times</I>, May 20, 1978, p. D4. TI MBA selling for $63.00.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Washington Post</I>, May 22, 1979, p. B3. Advertising copy quoted from here. Calculator advertised as selling for $57.95.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I> Los Angeles Times</I>, November 30, 1980, p. H2. MBA selling for $59.95.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>New York Times</I>, January 30, 1983, p. H31. MBA price $49.50.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
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content: Computers & Business Machines
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content: Handheld Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of John B. Priser
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0988.344
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.344
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; keys; carrying case material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (keyboard; circuitry; zipper material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 3/8 in x 3 in x 5 3/4 in; 3.4925 cm x 7.62 cm x 14.605 cm