Mannheim rule

mathematics

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The Mannheim rule is a type of slide rule invented in 1859 by Amédée Mannheim. It was one of the first modern slide rules, featuring scales on one face and a cursor (indicator) for easier use. Slide rules, in general, are mechanical calculation devices with graduated scales that allow for operations like multiplication, division, and root extraction. They were essential tools in science and engineering until the advent of electronic calculators. The invention of logarithms by John Napier in 1614 made it possible to simplify multiplication and division into addition and subtraction, paving the way for the slide rule's development.1

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slide rule
The Mannheim rule, which also brought into general use a cursor, or indicator, was much used in France, and after about 1880 it was imported in large numbers into other countries.
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The Mannheim rule, which also brought into general use a cursor, or indicator, was much used in France, and after about 1880 it was imported in large numbers into other countries.
Read More