INFS-1101 (History 1-15)

Computation

The act or process of computing.

Computing

procedure of calculating; determining something
by mathematical or logical methods

Computer science

the branch of engineering science that studies
(with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures

The Abacus (5C BC)

Earliest archaeological evidence of a Greek
_________ used around the 5th century BC.

The Abacus (5C BC)

Greeks used it to help with calculating. To use it,

you slide the beads up and down on the rods to

add and subtract. It is still used today in some

countries.

Greek

Who used the abacus?

Pas-ca-line (1643)

was a French monetary (nondecimal) calculator designed by Blaise Pascal about 1642.

Pas-ca-line (1643)

Numbers could be added by turning the wheels (located along the bottom of the machine) clockwise and subtracted by turning the wheels counter clockwise.

Blaise Pascal

Designer of Pas-ca-line

Leibniz’ (libe·nuhts )Machine

Step Reckoner, a calculating machine designed (1671) and built (1673) by the German mathematician- philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz.

Leibniz’ (libe·nuhts )Machine

The Step Reckoner expanded on the French mathematician-philosopher Blaise Pascal's ideas and did multiplication by repeated addition and shifting.

Jacquard’s (juh·kaard)Loom (1805)

Developed by Joseph-Marie Jacquard. The _____________ was controlled by a loop of punched cards.

Jacquard’s (juh·kaard)Loom (1805)

Holes in the punched cards determined how the knitting proceeded, yielding very complex

weaves at a much faster rate.

Charles Babbage

Mathematician, industrialist, philosopher, politician

Difference Engine (1822)

Babbage’s first computational machine was based on the method of finite differences.

Analytical Engine (1834-1836)

Babbage’s more general “computer” Never built, but its design is considered to be the foundation of modern computing

Ada Lovelace

Translated Menabrea’s Sketch of the Analytical Engine to English

Quadrupled its length by adding lengthy notes and detailed mathematical explanations

Ada Lovelace

Referred to as the world’s first programmer

Ada Lovelace

Described how the machine might be configured (programmed) to solve a variety of problems.