Sharp EL-5808 Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1978-1979
name: label: maker
content: Sharp Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator combined Sharp’s thin calculator design (keys being replaced by a membrane) with an array of scientific functions. The calculator has a metal case. The membrane is divided into thirty-five rectangular segments, with an additional five round segments across the top row. In addition to the usual digit, arithmetic function, change sign, decimal, and total “keys,” there are eighteen keys which can assume different actions if the “F” key is pressed. These relate to memory, statistical functions, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, square roots and cube roots, and conversion from polar to rectangular coordinates and vice versa. Pressing the sensor key causes a tone to sound whenever a section is pressed. Behind the membrane is an LCD display which shows up to eight digits in a mantissa and two digits in an exponent.
label: Description
content: A mark at the base of the calculator reads: SHARP (/) SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR EL-5808. Text on the back reads: ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR (/) EL-5808. It also reads: SER. No. (/) 91001503. It also reads: SHARP CORPORATION (/) MADE IN JAPAN. Two silver oxide batteries are built into the calculator.
label: Description
content: The calculator has a black plastic case marked on the outside: SHARP (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. It includes a warning against carrying the calculator in a back pocket, lest the glass break. The calculator and an instruction manual fit in a cardboard box.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Los Angeles Times</I>, October 15, 1978, p. S13X. Calculator advertised as regularly priced at $39.95, on sale for $29.96.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Washington Post</I>, February 24, 1979, p. F14. Sharp EL-5808 advertised as regularly priced at $39.95, on sale for $29.95.
label: Description
content: Sharp, <I>Sharp Compet Scientific Calculator Model EL-5808 Instruction Manual</I>.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Japan
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
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: 1986.0988.135
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.135
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (case material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (membrane; carrying case material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (display material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (manual; box material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1/4 in x 2 3/4 in x 5 in; .635 cm x 6.985 cm x 12.7 cm