Inventors and Their Contributions to Computing
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Questions and Answers

Which invention is William Oughtred credited with creating in 1622?

  • Slide rule (correct)
  • Napier's bones
  • Decimal notation
  • Logarithms

What concept did John Vincent Atanasoff invent in the 1930s?

  • The modern slide rule
  • The first electronic digital computer (correct)
  • Binary notation
  • The logarithmic spiral

Which of the following mathematicians was born in 1550?

  • John Vincent Atanasoff
  • William Oughtred
  • John von Neumann
  • John Napier (correct)

What did Alan Turing receive the Smith's Prize for?

<p>Mathematical advancements (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what year did John von Neumann die?

<p>1957 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which educational institution did John Vincent Atanasoff attend?

<p>University of Wisconsin-Madison (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a known contribution of John von Neumann?

<p>Genetics (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which mathematician is known for developing the multiplication sign?

<p>William Oughtred (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the cause of Alan Turing's death?

<p>Cyanide poisoning (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which field did John von Neumann NOT make significant contributions?

<p>Theoretical biology (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the major contribution of Clifford Edward Berry in 1939?

<p>Created the first digital electronic computer (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following computers was NOT designed by John William Mauchly?

<p>Harvard Mark I (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which educational institution did John Adam Presper Eckert Jr. attend?

<p>Moore School of Electrical Engineering (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Howard Hathaway Aiken known for within the field of computing?

<p>Conceptual design of IBM's Harvard Mark I (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What achievement is John William Mauchly specifically recognized for?

<p>Design of the first general-purpose electronic digital computer (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant award did John Adam Presper Eckert Jr. receive?

<p>National Medal of Science for Engineering (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which individual had their academic career influenced by John Vincent Atanasoff?

<p>John Adam Presper Eckert Jr. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When did Clifford Edward Berry pass away?

<p>1963 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did John William Mauchly play in the development of UNIVAC I?

<p>He co-designed the system with J. Presper Eckert (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What year was John Adam Presper Eckert Jr. born?

<p>1919 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who is referred to as the 'Father of Computers'?

<p>Charles Babbage (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which invention is Herman Hollerith best known for?

<p>Electromechanical punched card tabulator (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between Augusta Ada King-Noel and Charles Babbage?

<p>Collaborator on the Analytical Engine (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When was Charles Babbage born?

<p>26 December 1791 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT true about Augusta Ada King-Noel?

<p>She was an American inventor. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary function of the machines developed by Charles Babbage?

<p>Perform complex calculations (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes John Napier of Merchiston?

<p>Inventor of the logarithm (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary achievement of Herman Hollerith during the 1890 census?

<p>Completed it in 3 years (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which educational institution did Charles Babbage attend?

<p>University of Cambridge (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When did Augusta Ada King-Noel pass away?

<p>27 November 1852 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which invention is Blaise Pascal known for creating?

<p>The modern calculator (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Douglas Carl Engelbart's contribution to computing?

<p>Father of the computer mouse (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the Harvard Mark I developed?

<p>1944 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true about William Henry Gates III?

<p>He has given $35 billion to charity. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What notable achievement is associated with Mark Zuckerberg?

<p>Founder of Facebook (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which individual is recognized for developing the first computing machine to use binary code?

<p>Conrad Zuse (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What common feature do the first computers developed by Engelbart and Aiken share?

<p>They both used vacuum tubes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly identifies Steven Paul Jobs' primary claim to fame?

<p>Founding of Apple Inc. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is false regarding Bill Gates?

<p>He co-founded Microsoft at age 30. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best explains why the device Engelbart created was called a mouse?

<p>It had a wire like a mouse's tail. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Clifford Edward Berry

An American physicist and computer pioneer who collaborated with John Vincent Atanasoff to create the first digital electronic computer in 1939. He also worked with J. Presper Eckert on the development of the ENIAC.

John William Mauchly

An American physicist who, together with J. Presper Eckert, designed the ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer. He also contributed to other significant computer developments like EDVAC, BINAC, and UNIVAC I.

ENIAC

The first general-purpose electronic digital computer created by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert in 1946.

J. Presper Eckert

An American electrical engineer and computer pioneer who, along with John Mauchly, built the ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer. He also founded the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation and later UNIVAC.

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Howard Hathaway Aiken

An American physicist who played a crucial role in the early development of digital computers. He is known for his concept of the 'Harvard Mark I' computer.

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Who is Charles Babbage?

A British polymath who invented the Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer.

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Who is Herman Hollerith?

He developed an electromechanical punched card tabulator, which significantly sped up the 1890 Census.

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Who is Ada Lovelace?

An English mathematician and writer known for her work on the Analytical Engine.

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Who is John Napier?

A Scottish landowner, mathematician, physicist, and astronomer known for creating an abacus to calculate products and quotients.

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What is an inkjet printer?

A technology that prints using a stream of ink droplets directed onto paper.

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What is a laser printer?

A technology that prints using a laser beam to transfer toner onto paper.

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What is a computer?

A device that processes information based on sets of instructions.

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What is a digital computer?

A type of computer that processes information using electrical signals.

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What is a procedural programming language?

A type of programming language that uses a series of steps to instruct a computer.

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What is object-oriented programming?

A type of programming language that focuses on the data and structures of information.

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What is the Z3?

The first computing machine to use binary code, considered a forerunner to modern digital computers.

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Who is Douglas Engelbart?

An American engineer and inventor who played a crucial role in the early development of computers and the internet.

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What is a computer mouse?

A gadget created with a wooden base and two wheels, allowing it to roll back and forth; the first mouse designed to fit in a user's hand.

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Who is Blaise Pascal?

A French mathematician, physicist, inventor, and theologian, considered the 'Father of Modern Calculators' for his invention in 1639.

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What was Pascal's invention?

A mechanical calculator built by Blaise Pascal in 1639 for his father, an accountant for the King of France.

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Who is Bill Gates?

An American business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist, and humanitarian who co-founded Microsoft Corporation.

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What company did Bill Gates co-found?

This company revolutionized personal computing in the late 20th century.

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Who is Mark Zuckerberg?

An American technology entrepreneur and philanthropist known for co-founding and leading Facebook.

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Who is Steve Jobs?

An American entrepreneur and business magnate who was a central figure in the personal computer revolution.

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What company did Steve Jobs co-found?

This company changed how people used computers and phones, revolutionizing technology and design.

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Who is John Napier known for?

John Napier was a Scottish mathematician renowned for his invention of logarithms, a groundbreaking mathematical tool used to simplify complex calculations. His pioneering work laid the foundation for modern computing.

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What is William Oughtred famous for?

William Oughtred was an English mathematician who invented the slide rule in 1622, building upon the work of John Napier. The slide rule used logarithms to perform calculations like multiplication and division.

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What operations does a slide rule perform?

The slide rule, a handheld analog computing device, was primarily used for multiplying, dividing, taking roots, and doing logarithmic calculations.

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What was the first electronic digital computer?

The 'ABC' (Atanasoff-Berry-Computer) was the first electronic digital computer, invented by John Vincent Atanasoff in the 1930s. It was a groundbreaking invention that paved the way for modern computers.

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Who is Alan Turing known for?

Alan Turing was a brilliant English mathematician who played a pivotal role in cracking the Enigma code during World War II. He is also considered the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

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What fields did John von Neumann work in?

John von Neumann, a Hungarian-American mathematician, made significant contributions to fields like computer science, mathematics, and game theory. He is credited with the development of the 'von Neumann architecture' for computer systems.

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What is the 'von Neumann architecture'?

The 'von Neumann architecture' is a computer system architecture that uses a single address space for both instructions and data, allowing the processor to access both easily. This design is still widely used in modern computers.

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Why are logarithms important?

Logarithms are a mathematical tool used to simplify complex calculations involving multiplication, division, roots, and exponents. This simplification made tedious calculations easier and faster, impacting many scientific fields.

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What are Napier's bones used for?

Napier's bones are a set of rods used for performing multiplication and division using logarithms. These rods represent logarithmic values, facilitating faster and more accurate calculations.

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What is decimal notation?

Decimal notation is a numerical system that uses a base of 10, where each digit's position represents a different power of 10. It's the most commonly used system for representing numbers in everyday life.

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Study Notes

Inventors and Their Contributions

  • Charles Babbage: Considered the "Father of Computers." He conceptualized a digital programmable computer and designed many machines. He was an English polymath.
  • Herman Hollerith: An American inventor who developed an electromechanical punched card tabulator. He completed the 1890 census in three years and founded the Tabulating Machine Company in 1896.
  • Augusta Ada King-Noel: Known as the Countess of Lovelace and "Mother of Computing." She was an English mathematician and writer who contributed to Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer.
  • John Napier of Merchiston: A Scottish landowner, mathematician, and astronomer. He created an abacus for calculating products and quotients of numbers (logarithms).
  • William Oughtred: An English mathematician and clergyman who invented the slide rule in 1622. This device was used for multiplication, division, roots, logarithms, and trigonometry, but not normally for addition or subtraction.
  • Alan Mathison Turing: An English computer scientist, mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist. He was instrumental in theoretical computer science.
  • John von Neumann: A Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, computer scientist, and polymath. He made significant contributions to mathematics, physics, economics, computing, and statistics
  • John Vincent Atanasoff: An American-Bulgarian physicist and inventor who, with Clifford Berry, invented the first electronic digital computer in the late 1930s. (ABC).
  • Clifford Edward Berry: Worked with John Vincent Atanasoff to create the first digital electronic computer.
  • John William Mauchly: An American physicist who designed parts of the ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer along with J. Presper Eckert.
  • Howard Hathaway Aiken: An American physicist and a pioneer in computing. He was part of the design of the IBM Harvard Mark I computer design.
  • John Presper "Pres" Eckert Jr.: An American electrical engineer who, with John Mauchly, designed the first general-purpose electronic digital computer.
  • Douglas Carl Engelbart: An American engineer and inventor who created the concept of a computer mouse.

Other Contributors

  • Blaise Pascal: A French mathematician who designed a mechanical calculator around 1642 (for his father, a tax collector).
  • William Henry Gates III: An American business magnate and philanthropist who co-founded Microsoft.
  • Mark Elliot Zuckerberg: An American technology entrepreneur and philanthropist who co-founded and led Facebook.
  • Steven Paul Jobs: An American entrepreneur who was chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Apple Inc.

Computer Hardware Development

  • Three Components of an IS (Information System): Hardware, Software and People.
  • Hardware: Physical components of a computer (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.).
  • Input: Methods for entering data into the computer (keyboard, mouse, etc.)
  • Output: Methods for viewing output from a computer (monitor, etc.).
  • Why is the keyboard not alphabetical?: Related to the speed of mechanical typewriters and the arrangement of characters.

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Inventors of Computing PDF

Description

Explore the influential inventors who shaped the field of computing, including Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and others. This quiz covers their key contributions and inventions that paved the way for modern technology.

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