This summer, battle lines were drawn over a simple math problem: 8 ÷ 2(2 + 2) = ? If you divide 8 by 2 first, you get 16, but if you multiply 2 by (2 + 2) first, you get 1. So, which answer is right?

In a digital world, why bother with analog? Well, sometimes it can still be the right solution. Take, for instance, the analog multiplier (see figure). At its simplest, it’s a circuit that leverages ...