A remote control, but with a '+' and '-' key on it, so when selecting channel 453 and you're currently on channel 189, you type '+' 264. Obviously with an override, so I don't have to use it in maths mode.

Limited to add and subtract. Don't think it needs Sin, Ln, Log, cube-root etc.
-- paraffin power, Mar 08 2005

You'd probably want to couple this with a randomisation of assigned channel number, so as to avoid kids performing over and over again the same additions and subtractions between their few favourite channels.
-- calum, Mar 08 2005


oh very good! my kids learned to read from the TV guides.
-- po, Mar 08 2005


[crash] can spell the names of all the Pokemon, other words he's still learning...
-- wagster, Mar 08 2005


Bun for bringing back a happy memory of my then 2 year-old son spending a puzzled few minutes pointing my calculator towards the TV.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 08 2005


// avoid kids performing over and over again the same additions and subtractions between their few favourite channels.//

Actually, I think the repetition is useful. Then if she someday needs to subtract 36 - 29, she can remember "Ah, 36-28 = Seinfeld, so 36-29 must be seven".
-- phundug, Mar 08 2005


surely we should have multiplication, division, squareroot and square. Need channel 16? 4square.

I can see this becoming a bit like Carol Vorderman on Countdown*. If the remote was just armed with numbers 0-9 and a range of mathematical functions, the challenge will be to get to the right channel number in double-quick time. Splendid.

*Countdown. Daytime TV quiz. Containing mathematical competition section.
-- jonthegeologist, Mar 08 2005


For kids? Heck, I need this for myself!
-- Machiavelli, Mar 08 2005


I couldn't help but think of a cable channel in the US called "e" and wonder how you would get there from an integral channel number.

(Actually its called "E!" but humor me).
-- krelnik, Mar 08 2005


Let's see, volume 2 raised to the power of 10...
-- FarmerJohn, Mar 09 2005


Very good!
-- DesertFox, Mar 09 2005


You're scaring me. I still haven't got over the Particle Physics category on Jeopardy yesterday.
-- mensmaximus, Mar 09 2005


//Actually its called "E!"//
So you'll need a factorial button as well.
-- angel, Mar 09 2005


e! = Gamma(e+1) = 4.26082
-- Detly, Mar 09 2005


Wow, a halfbakery full of mathmaticians. I'm spooked.
-- froglet, Mar 09 2005


9i+15, for the imaginary channel.
-- jonthegeologist, Mar 09 2005


2 + 0 = 2
-- half, Mar 09 2005


"OK, who broke the TV with 238/0 ?"
-- FarmerJohn, Mar 09 2005


[Hits "twice the inverse of square root of pi times integral over real numbers with respect to 'x' of exponential of negative 'x' squared" button]
-- Detly, Mar 10 2005


I'd have to cheat off other people's remotes.
-- schematics, Mar 10 2005



random, halfbakery