# Why are the keypads flipped around?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-keypads-flipped-around/196043
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 18, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-keypads-flipped-around/196043 "2003-08-18T20:37:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![ClayC852](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@ClayC852](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClayC852)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-keypads-flipped-around/196043/1 "2003-08-18T20:37:45Z")

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How come the keypads on calculators flipped upside down from the one on the phone? I suppose it has to do with the extra keys that each device requires, but why are the numbers flipped around?

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### Author: ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-keypads-flipped-around/196043/2 "2003-08-18T20:54:02Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mphonedial.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mphonedial.html)

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### Author: ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-keypads-flipped-around/196043/3 "2003-08-18T20:54:40Z")

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I believe there was a Cecil Adams column on this question. If I remember it right, the calculator keypad evolved from the adding machine, while the phone keypad evolved from the rotary dial phone.