Questions and Answers
Who is known as the 'Father of Modern Computer'?
What was the primary function of the Difference Engine?
To perform simple calculations and solve tables of numbers.
The Stepped Reckoner used gears for its operation.
False
The __________ Machine was used in the 1890 U.S. Census.
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Match the following inventors with their respective inventions:
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What type of input did the Analytical Engine use?
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The Differential Analyzer was an analog device.
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Which machine was developed by Herman Hollerith?
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What was the main component used in the first generation of computers?
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The second generation of computers used vacuum tubes as their main component.
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What significant development in computer history happened in 1944?
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Which device is considered to be the first computer?
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The first generation of computers relied heavily on __________ operating systems.
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Napier's Bones was the first machine to use the decimal point.
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Match the following first generation computers with their names:
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Who invented the Pascaline?
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Which generation of computers introduced transistors?
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The __________ is still used in some countries like China, Russia, and Japan.
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The miniaturization of circuits helped decrease the speed of computers.
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What functionality did the Pascaline provide?
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Match the following computing devices with their inventors or creators:
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What were the main input and output devices used in the first generation of computers?
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Pascaline was invented solely for commercial use.
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What material were the strips used in Napier's Bones made from?
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Which of the following programming languages are associated with third generation computers?
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Integrated circuits in third generation computers reduced their size and cost.
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What technology was used to produce chips in the fourth generation computers?
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In fifth generation computers, the VLSI technology was replaced with __________ technology.
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Which of the following is NOT a popular second generation computer?
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Match the following computer generations with their main characteristic:
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Batch processing and multiprogramming were characteristics of first generation computers.
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Name one supercomputer from the fourth generation.
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Study Notes
History of Computers
- The earliest counting devices included sticks, stones, and bones, used by primitive people.
- Over time, various computing devices evolved, starting from the abacus to modern computers.
Abacus
- Considered the first computer, invented in China around 4,000 years ago.
- A wooden rack with metal rods and beads, used for arithmetic calculations.
Napier's Bones
- Invented by John Napier in the early 17th century.
- A manually-operated calculating device using 9 ivory strips to facilitate multiplication and division.
- First machine to incorporate the decimal point.
Pascaline
- Created by Blaise Pascal between 1642 and 1644, known as the first mechanical calculator.
- Designed to assist his tax accountant father, it performed only addition and subtraction.
- Utilized a series of gears and wheels enclosed in a wooden box.
Stepped Reckoner
- Developed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz in 1673, improved upon Pascal's design.
- A digital mechanical calculator using fluted drums for calculations rather than gears.
Difference Engine
- Designed by Charles Babbage in the early 1820s, regarded as the Father of Modern Computers.
- A mechanical computer capable of performing simple calculations, originally steam-driven.
Analytical Engine
- Also designed by Babbage in 1830, it featured punch cards for input.
- Could store information and solve any mathematical problem.
Tabulating Machine
- Invented by Herman Hollerith in 1890, utilized punch cards for data tabulation.
- Used in the 1890 U.S. Census, leading to the establishment of IBM in 1924.
Differential Analyzer
- The first electronic computer introduced in the U.S. in 1930 by Vannevar Bush.
- An analog device using vacuum tubes to perform calculations rapidly.
Mark I
- Developed in 1944 through collaboration between IBM and Harvard.
- Recognized as the first programmable digital computer.
Generations of Computers
- Generations represent technological advancements, specifically in circuitry and miniaturization.
- Each generation has resulted in increased speed, memory, and processing power.
First Generation Computers (1946-1959)
- Utilized vacuum tubes; slow, large, and expensive.
- Depended on batch operating systems and punch cards.
- Notable models: ENIAC, EDVAC, UNIVAC I, IBM-701, IBM-650.
Second Generation Computers (1959-1965)
- Introduced transistors, which were cheaper and more efficient than vacuum tubes.
- Employed magnetic cores for primary memory and magnetic disks for storage.
- Programming languages included COBOL and FORTRAN, with multiprogramming capabilities.
- Notable models: IBM 1620, IBM 7094, CDC 1604, CDC 3600, UNIVAC 1108.
Third Generation Computers (1965-1971)
- Used integrated circuits (ICs), allowing for more compact designs and reduced costs.
- Increased reliability and efficiency with the use of high-level programming languages.
- Notable models: IBM-360 series, Honeywell-6000 series, PDP, IBM-370/168, TDC-316.
Fourth Generation Computers (1971-1980)
- Featured very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits, containing millions of transistors.
- Enabled compact and powerful systems with real-time and distributed operating systems.
- Notable models: DEC 10, STAR 1000, PDP 11, CRAY-1, CRAY-X-MP.
Fifth Generation Computers (1980-present)
- Evolved with ultra-large scale integration (ULSI) technology, leading to microprocessors with tens of millions of components.
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Description
Explore the fascinating evolution of computing devices from primitive counting methods to modern technology in this quiz. Understand key milestones such as the abacus and other landmark inventions that have shaped computing history.
