K. D. Tocher

{{Short description|British computer scientist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = K. D. Tocher

| birth_date = 19 March 1921{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=TrJblJZQFW5AkyxGcSqn3A&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=26 August 2022|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}{{cite journal | first = B. H. P. | last = Rivett | year = 1982 | title = Professor K. D. Tocher, 1921–1981 | journal = Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General) | volume = 145 | issue = 4 | pages = 525–526 | jstor = 2982123}}

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| death_date = 30 December 1981 (aged 60)

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| fields = computer simulation

| workplaces = University of Southampton

| alma_mater = University of London

| thesis_title = The design and statistical analysis of experiments

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| thesis_year = 1952

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| doctoral_students = Meir M. Lehman

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Keith Douglas "Toch"{{cite book| title =Cybernetic Revolutionaries:Technology and Politics in Allende's Chile | first = Eden | last = Medina | publisher = MIT Press | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-0262016490 | page = 248}} Tocher (19 March 1921 – 30 December 1981) was a computer scientist known for contributions to computer simulation.{{Cite journal | last1 = Robinson | first1 = S. | last2 = Taylor| first2 = S. J. E. | doi = 10.1057/jos.2008.16 | title = Celebrating 50 years of simulation software | journal = Journal of Simulation | volume = 2 | issue = 3 | pages = 127 | year = 2008 | doi-access = free }}

Tocher received a first-class BSc in mathematics in 1941 from University College London, a BSc in statistics in 1946 from University of London, and a PhD in 1952 at Imperial College London.{{Cite journal | last1 = Hollocks | first1 = B. W. | title = Intelligence, innovation and integrity— KD Tocher and the dawn of simulation | doi = 10.1057/jos.2008.15 | journal = Journal of Simulation | volume = 2 | issue = 3 | pages = 128–137 | year = 2008 | s2cid = 56974328 | doi-access = free }}

In 1958, he worked for United Steel Companies under Anthony Stafford Beer, and developed the first discrete-event simulation package, the General Simulation Program (GSP), a program that used a common structure to execute a range of simulations.{{Cite journal | last1 = Rosenhead | first1 = J. | title = IFORS' Operational Research Hall of Fame Stafford Beer | doi = 10.1111/j.1475-3995.2006.00565.x | journal = International Transactions in Operational Research | volume = 13 | issue = 6 | pages = 577–581 | year = 2006 | doi-access = free }}

He was appointed professor of operational research at the University of Southampton in 1980. He was awarded the silver medal of the Operational Research Society in 1967 and served as president from 1972 to 1973.

Tocher was also one of the creators of the SRT division algorithm that is used in the hardware of many modern computers.{{cite tech report |url=http://pages.hmc.edu/harris/research/srtlong.pdf |title=SRT Division: Architectures, Models, and Implementations |first1=David L. |last1=Harris |first2=Stuart F. |last2=Oberman |first3=Mark A. |last3=Horowitz |publisher=Stanford University |date=9 September 1998}}{{Cite journal |journal=The Quarterly Journal of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics |url=https://academic.oup.com/qjmam/article-abstract/11/3/364/1883426 |last=Tocher |first=K.D. |title=Techniques of Multiplication and Division for Automatic Binary Computers |date=1958-01-01 |issue=3 |volume=11 |pages=364–384|doi=10.1093/qjmam/11.3.364 }}