Competitive educational calculator

Apparatus for allowing two or more substantially identical calculators to operate in a competition mode comprising:

• a. First and second calculators having a display and manually-operable input keys;
• b. Master/slave means in each calculator for causing a calculator to operate as either a master or a slave depending upon whether said means is energized or not, respectively;
• c. Means interconnecting said first and second calculators, including means for energizing one of said calculators as a master, the other of said calculators being a slave, exclusively;
• and
• d. Means in each calculator responsive to said master/slave means and said input keys for selecting a type of problem to be solved, said means being activated only in the calculator energized as a master.

Apparatus for allowing two or more substantially identical calculators to operate in a competition mode comprising:

• a. A calculator having a display and manually-operable input keys;
• b. Master/slave means at said calculator for causing said calculator to operate as a master or a slave depending upon whether said means is energized or not, respectively;
• c. A cable adapted to interconnect said calculator with another calculator, said cable including plug connectors at each end, only one of said connectors being adapted to energize said master/slave means for designating one of said calculators as the master, exclusively;
• and
• d. Control means in said calculator responsive to said master/slave means and said input keys for generating parameters describing a problem to be solved, said means being activated only upon the condition that said calculator is energized as a master.

Apparatus for enabling competition between users of educational calculators comprising:

• a. First and second calculators each having a display and manually-operable input keys;
• b. Master/slave means at said first and second calculators for causing said calculators to operate as a master or a slave depending upon whether said means is energized or not, respectively;
• c. A cable adapted to interconnect said first calculator with said second calculator, said cable including asymmetrical plug connectors for energizing only one of said calculators as the master, exclusively;
• and
• d. Control means in said first and second calculators responsive to said master/slave means and said input keys for generating parameters describing a problem to be solved, said means being activated only in the calculator which is energized as a master.

The method of operating first and second calculators in a competition mode, each of said calculators having a display and manually-operable input keys, comprising the steps of:

• a. Interconnecting said first and second calculators in such a way that one of said calculators is energized as a master, the other of said calculators being a slave;
• and
• b. Displaying function symbols representing a type of problem to be solved only on the display of the calculator energized as a master, the display of said slave not displaying said function symbols;
• whereby the fact that said symbols are displayed indicates to the user of said calculator energized as a master that said user is to select, by means of said input keys, one of the displayed function symbols.