Abstract
THE method for locating ‘words’ in a ‘dictionary’ proposed by Booth in his recent communication1 has been standard practice for a long time in coding edge-punched cards used for indexing scientific literature and for many other purposes. Thus, if one denotes a consecutive series of holes 1, 2, 4, 8, …, any number may be represented by punching the appropriate combination of holes with a ticket punch so that they become slots communicating with the edge of the card; for example, the number 678 would be indicated by slotting 2, 4, 32, 128, 512. To find a desired card, it is necessary to ask N ‘questions’ if the numbers run up to (2N − 1); in practice, one inserts a knitting needle into each hole in turn, rejecting or retaining (as appropriate) cards which remain hung up on the needle when the pack is lifted from the table and shaken.
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References
Booth, A. D., Nature, 176, 565 (1955).
Casey, R. S., Bailey, C. F., and Cox, G. J., J. Chem. Educ., 23, 495 (1946).
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KENDREW, J. Use of a Computing Machine as a Mechanical Dictionary. Nature 176, 984 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/176984b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/176984b0
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