Flashcards about the Abacus

Front

The abacus was used in Babylon 2000 years before the Greeks used it for calculating.

The abacus is still used today in some countries.

Back

Slide the beads up and down on the rods to add and subtract.

Front

John Napier

Back

John Napier invented "logarithms" which use lookup tables to find the solution to otherwise tedious and error-prone mathematical calculations.

Front

Blaise Pascal

Back

A famous French philosopher and mathematician who invented the first calculator in 1645 to help with collecting taxes. It could add and subtract by rotating dials.

Front

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz

Back

Leibnitz invented a machine in 1674, called the "Stepped Reckoner," which could add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Front

Joseph-Marie Jacquard's profession

Back

Joseph-Marie Jacquard was a weaver.

In 1804, Joseph-Marie Jacquard adapted the use of punched cards.

Front

Purpose of punched cards in Jacquard's invention

Back

Punched cards were used to control looms.

Front

Replacement for punched cards

Back

Punched cards were later replaced with magnetic tapes to improve storage.

Front

Impact of Jacquard's invention on computing

Back

Jacquard's invention provided a model for the input and output of data in the electro-mechanical and electronic computing industry.

Front

Charles Babbage's Contributions

Back

Charles Babbage designed the "Difference Engine" and "Analytical Engine" in the early 19th Century, which were blueprints for the modern electronic digital computer.

Front

Father of Computing

Back

Charles Babbage is often referred to as the "father of computing."