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The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America

Long before calculators were invented, little Edith Clarke devoured numbers, conquered calculations, cracked puzzles, and breezed through brainteasers. Edith wanted to be an engineer — to use the numbers she saw all around her to help build America.

When she grew up, no one would hire a woman engineer. But that didn’t stop Edith from following her passion and putting her lightning-quick mind to the problem of electricity. But the calculations took so long! Always curious, Edith couldn’t help thinking of better ways to do things. She constructed a “calculator” from paper that was ten times faster than doing all that math by hand! Her invention won her a job, making her the first woman electrical engineer in America. And because Edith shared her knowledge with others, her calculator helped electrify America, bringing telephones and light across the nation.

Hidden Figures meets Rosie Revere, Engineer in this compelling picture book about the innovator who solved an electrical mystery and built the first graphing calculator — from paper!

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Description

"Skillfully told and illustrated, this story is full of details and depth. The full-color images catch the eye and playfully include mathematical puzzles. Edith’s quotes are interspersed throughout, highlighting her love of math and her determination to succeed in a traditionally male field. This one will inspire and validate any readers who love mathematics and calculations, especially anyone who has felt marginalized within STEM fields." — Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

Recommended Age 5 - 9
Author Jan Lower
Illustrator Susan Reagan
ISBN 1662680066
Publication Date Mar 14, 2023
Publisher Calkins Creek
Language English