"Rich obtained a set of naval architect's blueprints for a 32-pound deck cannon from the 18th century. He scaled everything down to fit the desired finished size, which worked out to be 3:13,"
This is where you should be using a spreadsheet on your computer. one of those weird sets of rows and columns with all the lines and numbers....
All you have to do is make a list of all the dimensions you need by a clearly defined name in column A.
Then a list of the actual dimensions of each object in column B
In column C we are going to put a formula that says real dimension / scale = build dimension and put the build dimension in the cell.
in quatro pro and (i think) in excel you use the same format as was used in viscalc 30 years ago
a + and then the formula.
The formula:
We need the scale so in cell column D and row 1 write "Scale" so you remember what the number is. In column E row #1 write 3.13
Now go back to the first first item you filled in a measurement for in column C write + and then take the cursor and point to the actual dimension "next door" click on it.
PRESTO it says +B1 in the formula cell and the cursor is back there too, blinking away.
it works the same way in quatro, excel, open office, and even on an apple. (amazing ain't it)
now we need to divide by the scale up there in E1
to do that, we enter a / after B1 and click on the cell E1 where we put the scale value.
presto,
The value in the cell now says +B1/E1
if we hit return
the value of the cell when look at the menu bar at the top of the page remains +B1/E1
but the display in the cell reads the answer of
(What is the number in B1 divided by the number in E1.)
now we could do this for every cell but that would be as bad as doing it with the calculator.
We can copy the formula from C1 on down the page.
and here we find the power of a spread sheet.
if I copy C1 to C2 it copys not as B1/E1 but as B2/E2.
Which is called relative addressing.
If we copy scale value all the way down the page in column E it will work, but there is another way
It is called absolute addressing
go back to C1 and select it.
go to the listing of the formula in the menu bar,(or in the cell if it pops up there) add two dollar signs to E1 so it reads " +B1/$E$1 and hit return
The answer stays the same, but
if you copy the new formula down the column next to all the real dimensions it will copy as the number next to my cell divided by the number up there in row E column 1.
The formula has one relative address and one fixed address.
once you copy the formula down column,
select C1,
copy to clipboard,
highlight the rest of the cells in col C next to the values in col B and paste.
Presto,
all your calculations are done.
Not only this, save the file.
now you want a new cannon for a different boat built at a scale of 4.67.
open the old file.
save it as new cannon
go to the scale figure in E1 and change it to 4.67
presto
you have all the new build dimesions done.
You say you don't have an office suite with a spreadsheet?
try OpenOffice from Sun Microsystems, it's free. (Sun is the company that makes servers and high end work stations in competition with MS) the only catch is that in the Sun system, the formula code is = instead of + so formulas look like =B1/$E$1 instead of +B1/$E$1
It also runs on mac
The spreadsheet opens and saves MS compatible documents so if your client sends you an xcel spreadsheet or word document you can open it, edit it and send it back, without having to buy into MS office.
It also does a great job of publishing to pdf.
It's available in multiple languages,
I have a Spanish copy on one computer (cause I'm trying to learn Spanish) though I figured out after loading it that I could have installed a Spanish dictionary in the English version. Russian, Swedish, Tagalong, Arabic, German, Japanese, British, various African ones lots of languages
and it's FREE (they do ask for a donation)
openoffice.org
Hola,I obtained a set of
Hola,
"Rich obtained a set of naval architect's blueprints for a 32-pound deck cannon from the 18th century. He scaled everything down to fit the desired finished size, which worked out to be 3:13,"
This is where you should be using a spreadsheet on your computer. one of those weird sets of rows and columns with all the lines and numbers....
All you have to do is make a list of all the dimensions you need by a clearly defined name in column A.
Then a list of the actual dimensions of each object in column B
In column C we are going to put a formula that says real dimension / scale = build dimension and put the build dimension in the cell.
in quatro pro and (i think) in excel you use the same format as was used in viscalc 30 years ago
a + and then the formula.
The formula:
We need the scale so in cell column D and row 1 write "Scale" so you remember what the number is. In column E row #1 write 3.13
Now go back to the first first item you filled in a measurement for in column C write + and then take the cursor and point to the actual dimension "next door" click on it.
PRESTO it says +B1 in the formula cell and the cursor is back there too, blinking away.
it works the same way in quatro, excel, open office, and even on an apple. (amazing ain't it)
now we need to divide by the scale up there in E1
to do that, we enter a / after B1 and click on the cell E1 where we put the scale value.
presto,
The value in the cell now says +B1/E1
if we hit return
the value of the cell when look at the menu bar at the top of the page remains +B1/E1
but the display in the cell reads the answer of
(What is the number in B1 divided by the number in E1.)
now we could do this for every cell but that would be as bad as doing it with the calculator.
We can copy the formula from C1 on down the page.
and here we find the power of a spread sheet.
if I copy C1 to C2 it copys not as B1/E1 but as B2/E2.
Which is called relative addressing.
If we copy scale value all the way down the page in column E it will work, but there is another way
It is called absolute addressing
go back to C1 and select it.
go to the listing of the formula in the menu bar,(or in the cell if it pops up there) add two dollar signs to E1 so it reads " +B1/$E$1 and hit return
The answer stays the same, but
if you copy the new formula down the column next to all the real dimensions it will copy as the number next to my cell divided by the number up there in row E column 1.
The formula has one relative address and one fixed address.
once you copy the formula down column,
select C1,
copy to clipboard,
highlight the rest of the cells in col C next to the values in col B and paste.
Presto,
all your calculations are done.
Not only this, save the file.
now you want a new cannon for a different boat built at a scale of 4.67.
open the old file.
save it as new cannon
go to the scale figure in E1 and change it to 4.67
presto
you have all the new build dimesions done.
You say you don't have an office suite with a spreadsheet?
try OpenOffice from Sun Microsystems, it's free. (Sun is the company that makes servers and high end work stations in competition with MS) the only catch is that in the Sun system, the formula code is = instead of + so formulas look like =B1/$E$1 instead of +B1/$E$1
It also runs on mac
The spreadsheet opens and saves MS compatible documents so if your client sends you an xcel spreadsheet or word document you can open it, edit it and send it back, without having to buy into MS office.
It also does a great job of publishing to pdf.
It's available in multiple languages,
I have a Spanish copy on one computer (cause I'm trying to learn Spanish) though I figured out after loading it that I could have installed a Spanish dictionary in the English version. Russian, Swedish, Tagalong, Arabic, German, Japanese, British, various African ones lots of languages
and it's FREE (they do ask for a donation)
openoffice.org
Gene Olson
Sculptor
Elk River, MN