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# David Cochran - Inventor of the scientific pocket calculator
- URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/david-cochran-inventor-of-the-scientific-calculator/
- Published: 2009-06-20T22:53:30.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-01T14:08:43.000Z
- Author: Phil McKinney
- Tags: Featured, Studio Sessions, Past Guests, calculator, David Cochran, HP 35, HP35, inventor, scientific pocket calculator, Steve Wozniak, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-03-26 05:08

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What started out as a pet project of David Packard quickly turn into the HP-35 which was the epitome of a revolutionary mousetrap. Hand-held four function calculators were already on the market. Few could imagine a machine with scientific calculation capability that would fit in your shirt pocket, but could readily see the use and the need started growing in his mind.

He assigned the task of creating the first scientific pocket calculator to David Cochran and the rest is history.

Beyond being known as the person who led the HP35 team, he also goes down as the person who signed off on letting Steve Wozniak, who worked at HP at the time in calculator group, take his work on a personal computer outside of HP. That step is what allowed for the creation of Apple Computer.