CFPL Lecture #1

What is a computer?

• A machine which can't perform many tasks.

• Originally invented to do speedy and accurate calculations.

• It can perform any kind of work involving operations on logical data.

• It can process data as per instruction or input given and give the information as output.

The ______ was an early aid for mathematical computations.

The abacus is often wrongly attributed to _____.

• China

• Japan

• America

• Philippines

The oldest surviving abacus was used in ___B.C. by the ___________.

• 300, Babylonians

• 400, Babylonians

• 300, Greek

• 400, Greek

A skilled abacus operator can work on addition and subtraction problems at the speed of a person equipped with a hand calculator.

• True

• False

The abacus is still in use today, principally in the far ____.

The first gear-driven calculating machine to actually be built was the _________ _____.

• Counting clock

• Calculating clock

• Abacus

• Gear-driven abacus

The calculating clock was invented in ____ by the _____ professor, Wilhelm Schickard.

• 1723, Babylonian

• 1623, Greek

• 1623, German

• 1723, Greek

The calculating clock got little publicity because Schickard died in the _______ plague.

Blaise Pascal invented the _________ in ____ as an aid for his father who was a tac collector.

• Pascaline, 1642

• Pascal, 1642

• Pascaline, 1632

• Pascal, 1632