Editing Slide rule (section)

==== Division ====
The illustration below demonstrates the computation of {{Math|{{sfrac|5.5|2}}}}. The {{Math|2}} on the top scale is placed over the {{Math|5.5}} on the bottom scale. The resulting quotient, {{Math|2.75}}, can then be read below the top scale's {{Math|1}}:

[[File:slide rule example4.svg]]

There is more than one method for doing division, and the method presented here has the advantage that the final result cannot be off-scale, because one has a choice of using the {{Math|1}} at either end.

With more complex calculations involving multiple factors in the numerator and denominator of an expression, movement of the scales can be minimized by alternating divisions and multiplications. Thus {{Math|{{sfrac|5.5×3|2}}}} would be computed as {{Math|{{sfrac|5.5|2}}×3}} and the result, {{Math|8.25}}, can be read beneath the {{Math|3}} in the top scale in the figure above, without the need to register the intermediate result for {{Math|{{sfrac|5.5|2}}}}.