Introduction to Computing

🌐 REVIEWER: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING

(Taglish + Gen Z teacher vibes 😎📘)

🧠 I. What is Computing? (The Super Quick Vibe Check)

Computing = any activity that uses computers to manage, process, and communicate info.
In short, lahat ng ginagawa mo sa phone/laptop mo—yes, computing 'yan.

• Pag nag-Google ka? Computing.

• Pag nag-e-edit ka ng TikTok videos? Computing.

• Pag nag-a-Ask ChatGPT ka kung paano mag-move on? Computing pa rin (kind of). 😭💀

Why it matters:
Computing literally changed society — from communication to transportation to science. This is why today’s world can’t function without tech.

🏺 II. Early Civilizations (a.k.a. OG Programmers)

This part is important kasi ito ‘yung foundation ng computing. Before computers existed, people still needed ways to count, measure, and solve problems.

🧱 1. Babylonians

Key Ideas:

• Lived in Mesopotamia (Iraq), around 2000–500 BC.

• Gumamit sila ng clay tablets with math texts (like ancient cheat sheets).

• They used two symbols only (1 and 10) to build numbers.

• May counting boards, like early versions of abacus.

Real-life connection:
Think of it like the “first calculators” bago pa naimbento ang calculator.

🏜 2. Egyptians

Used math for:

• Measuring time

• Predicting floods

• Calculating land area

• Taxes and bookkeeping
  Basically, sila ang OG civil engineers.

They used:

• Base 10 system (same as us today!)

• Rhind Papyrus – parang math notebook that contains problems.

Why it matters:
They started practical math — the kind you use in real life, not just pang-brainrot.

🏛 3. Greeks

Big Names:

• Pythagoras – Mr. “a² + b² = c²”

• Thales – Geometry enjoyer; gave Thales’ Theorem

They believed numbers = essence of everything. Very math aesthetic.

Why important:
They formalized geometry, giving structure to mathematical thinking → foundational for computing.

🦅 4. Romans

Contributions:

• Roman numerals (I, V, X, L… you know the vibe)

• Used abacus a lot because Roman numerals are kinda… stressful 😭

Where you see Roman numerals today:

• Clocks

• Movie credits

• Sport events (Super Bowl)

Why it matters:
Shows how number systems evolve based on what society needs.

🌙 5. Islamic Civilization

Their energy: advanced, academic, and very math-brained.

Major contributions:

• Developed algebra (yes, sila ang dahilan bakit nahirapan ka sa Algebra noon 😭)

• Combined rational + irrational numbers

• Used equations to study curves

• Improved from Greek geometry-focused math

Why it matters:
Algebra is the basis of logic, programming, computing algorithms.

👨‍💻 III. Notable Figures in Computing

This part is fire kasi ito ‘yung direct ancestors ng modern computers.

🔢 1. Wilhelm Gottfried Leibniz (The Step Reckoner)

Contributions:

• Created binary number system (0s and 1s = the language of computers)

• Improved Pascal’s machine → made Step Reckoner

• Could perform: add, subtract, multiply, divide, AND extract roots (wow)

Why he’s iconic:
Binary = the reason computers work today. Literal father ng 0s and 1s.

🧮 2. Charles Babbage (Difference Engine)

Known as: "Grandfather of Computing"

His vibes:

• Obsessed with accurate mathematical tables

• Built/designed Difference Engine

• Assisted by Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer

Importance:
His ideas became the blueprint of modern computers (input + process + output).

🔠 3. George Boole (Symbolic Logic)

Vibes: Math philosopher + Logic enjoyer

Contribution:

• Invented Boolean Algebra (AND, OR, NOT → used in programming and circuits)

Why this matters:
Boolean logic = every decision your computer makes.

PC: “Should I open this program?”
PC: checks Boolean conditions

💻 4. Grace Hopper (COBOL)

Who is she?

• Computer pioneer

• Naval officer

• Mother of COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language)

Why important:
COBOL became the most widely used business language in the 1970s.
Also ma’am is a LEGEND — even has a Navy ship and awards named after her.

🚀 5. Katherine Johnson (Human Computer)

Her role:

• Before computers existed, humans did the calculations manually.

• She worked for NASA solving complex geometry for space travel.

• Her math literally brought astronauts to the moon and back.

Impact:
We wouldn’t have space exploration without her accuracy.

📡 6. Gladys West (GPS Technology)

Contribution:

• Created a geodetic model of Earth

• This became the basis of GPS

• Helped improve satellite precision

Why this matters:
Thanks to her work, alam ng Grab, Waze, at Google Maps kung nasaan ka (even if ikaw mismo hindi mo alam minsan 😭).

📊 Quick Comparison Table

🧠 RECAP / MEMORY TRICKS

Try this mnemonic for the Early Civilizations:
👉 B E G R I = Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Islamic scholars
(Pronounced as “BEGRI”—like “big reveal” but BEGRI 😭)

For the Notable Figures:
👉 L B B H J W
“Like Big Brains Help Jets Work”

• Leibniz – Binary

• Babbage – Difference Engine

• Boole – Logic

• Hopper – COBOL

• Johnson – NASA

• West – GPS

Super Simplified Summary:

• Early civilizations = the roots

• Algebra + geometry = the language of computing

• Leibniz + Babbage + Boole = the blueprint

• Hopper + Johnson + West = the real-world heroes who turned computers into super tools