this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
139 points (96.0% liked)

Technology

59081 readers
3254 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Pentagon Set to Allow Calculator Use on Military Entrance Exam as Recruiting Slumps::The change would put the ASVAB on par with how test-taking has evolved in the past decade, with calculators being widely used in math classes and on college entrance exams such as the ACT and SAT.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Imagine bringing your calculator when you go out to the battlefield....

In truth, you would bring a mobile phone or maybe a smartwatch. They can act as a calculator. And then at night, when things become serious, these toys run out of power :-)

[โ€“] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Uh, why wouldn't they? Calculators check a lot of boxes that militaries care about: cheap, light, compact, durable, easy to manufacture, easy to use. I'd think that they'd be standard issue for any personnel regularly tasked with doing important calculations under logistically difficult scenarios.

Setting that aside... you are aware that modern battle tactics are completely, hopelessly reliant on battery operated devices, right? If a unit gets unintentionally separated from the grid long enough to start running out of power, there will be far greater fish to fry than a few botched arithmatic problems.