Introduction to Computing Devices

Front

What are the three types of devices invented to assist in calculating and processing data?

Back

Manual-Mechanical, Electromechanical, Electronic

Front

A simple mechanism powered by hand that requires physical effort from the user (e.g., abacus, slide rule).

Back

Manual-Mechanical device

Front

What is an Electromechanical device?

Back

A device usually powered by an electric motor that uses switches and relays (e.g., household electrical appliances, desk calculators).

Front

What is an Electronic device?

Back

An electronic device, such as a modern digital computer, that has circuit boards, transistors, or silicon chips as its principal components.

Front

What is the earliest data processing equipment?

Back

Manual mechanical devices such as the abacus, Pascal's calculator, Napier's Bone, Leibniz's calculator, slide rule, Babbage's Analytical Engine, and punched-card machines.

Front

What is the abacus?

Back

The first manual data processing device developed in China in the Twelfth Century AD, consisting of a frame with beads strung on wires or rods.

Front

Who invented Napier's Bone?

Back

Scottish mathematician John Napier, known for his invention of logarithms.

Front

What is a slide rule?

Back

An invention attributed to William Oughtred, consisting of two movable rulers used for quick multiplication and division.

Front

What is Pascal's Calculator?

Back

A calculating machine developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642, capable of adding and subtracting numbers containing up to 8 digits.

Front

What is Leibniz's Calculator?

Back

A calculator completed by Gottfried von Leibniz in 1694 that could perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and extract square roots.