Early Computing

Multiple Choice

What was the abacus used for?

• Helping people calculate numbers

• Playing music

• Measuring temperature

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What was the astrolabe used for?

• Calculating latitude at sea

• Measuring temperature

• Printing books

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Why might the slide rule be considered a “bridge” to modern computing?

• It allowed people to perform complex calculations more quickly than by hand

• It was the first tool powered by electricity

• It could store information permanently

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What does the original meaning of the word “computer” tell us about history?

• Computing began as human labor before machines existed

• Computers were always electronic devices

• The word was invented to describe typewriters

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Why was the Step Reckoner more advanced than earlier devices like the abacus?

• It could automate all four basic arithmetic operations

• It was the first tool to connect to electricity

• It was designed mainly for decoration

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What does the Step Reckoner show us about the goals of early inventors?

• They wanted machines to handle complex, repetitive tasks automatically

• They were only interested in building toys

• They avoided using math in their inventions

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Who built the Step Reckoner, and in what year?

• Gottfried Leibniz, 1694

• Charles Babbage, 1830

• Blaise Pascal, 1642

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Why were pre-computed tables so valuable before electronic calculators?

• They saved time and reduced errors in long, complex calculations

• They allowed people to avoid learning math

• They replaced the need for all scientific instruments

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What does the use of calculation tables tell us about the needs of scientists and engineers?

• They required fast, reliable access to accurate numbers

• They preferred to guess instead of calculating

• They avoided using math in their work

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Why were pre-computed tables so valuable before electronic calculators?

• They saved time and reduced errors in long, complex calculations

• They allowed people to avoid learning math

• They replaced the need for all scientific instruments

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What variables did artillery range tables include?

• Wind, temperature, pressure, distance

• Color, shape, and size of the cannon

• Soldier height and uniform type

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What does the need to recompute tables for new weapons reveal?

• Technology changes often require new calculations and updated data

• Once a table is made, it works forever

• Weapon design had no effect on accuracy

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Why was the Difference Engine such an ambitious project for its time?

• It attempted to automate complex polynomial calculations with thousands of parts

• It was the first machine to use electricity

• It was designed mainly as a piece of art

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What does the successful 1991 reconstruction of the Difference Engine demonstrate?

• Babbage’s original design was sound, even if technology of his time couldn’t build it

• The machine was only a myth

• The design was impossible to make work

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Why was the Analytical Engine more advanced than earlier machines like the Difference Engine?

• It was designed as a general-purpose computer with memory and sequencing

• It was the first machine powered by electricity

• It was built mainly as a clock

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What was significant about Ada Lovelace’s contribution to the Analytical Engine?

• She wrote algorithms and saw computing as a creative tool beyond math

• She invented the first electronic calculator

• She designed the gears and metal parts

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When did computing begin shifting from people to machines?

• By the late 1800s

• By the early 1500

• By the mid-1900s

Multiple Choice

Why did societies begin shifting from human computers to machines in the late 1800s

• Manual methods couldn’t keep up with growing data needs

• People no longer wanted to learn math

• Machines were cheaper to decorate

Multiple Choice

Who invented the punched card tabulating machine used in the 1890 Census?

• Herman Hollerith

• Charles Babbage

• Ada Lovelace

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What does the 1890 Census crisis reveal about the relationship between population growth and technology?

• Growing data demands often drive new technological solutions

• Population growth had no effect on computing

• Technology always develops independently of human needs

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Why was IBM’s role in business computing so significant?

• It showed that computing could transform everyday business operations

• It was the first company to invent the internet

• It only built machines for entertainment

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Why were mechanical machines limited in solving large problems?

• They were slow, fragile, and had to be manually reset for each task

• They were banned in most countries

• They could only be used by athletes and musicians

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What motivated engineers to develop faster computing during WWII?

• The need for accurate military calculations and scientific research

• A global contest to build the biggest machine

• The invention of television

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What did vacuum tubes allow computers to process?

• Binary values (1s and 0s)

• Spoken language

• Video signals

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Why were vacuum tubes better than mechanical parts for computing?

• They could switch on and off quickly without moving parts

• They were easier to decorate and customize

• They made computers waterproof

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Why was ENIAC built during WWII?

• To calculate artillery firing tables for the military

• To entertain soldiers with games

• To replace typewriters in army offices

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What made EDVAC and EDSAC different from ENIAC?

• They used stored programs instead of rewiring hardware

• They were powered by steam

• They had no memory at all

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How did EDVAC and EDSAC improve flexibility compared to ENIAC?

• They could switch tasks by loading new instructions into memory

• They used mechanical gears instead of electricity

• They didn’t require any programming at all

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What did stored programs allow computers to do more easily?

• Switch tasks by loading new instructions

• Run without electricity

• Store permanent answers to every problem

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What major shift happened because of stored programs?

• Engineers focused more on writing code than building new machines

• Computers stopped using electricity

• People stopped using math in programming

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What was a major drawback of vacuum tubes?

• They burned out frequently and needed repairs

• They could store unlimited memory

• They were made of plastic and rubber

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What challenge did vacuum tubes create for engineers?

• They made it hard to build reliable, scalable computers

• They prevented computers from storing any data

• They caused computers to lose internet connection

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Why were transistors better than vacuum tubes?

• They were smaller, cooler, and more reliable

• They could be programmed by hand gestures

• They were made of wood and metal

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How did transistors change the future of computing?

• They made it possible to build smaller, more powerful machines

• They allowed computers to float in water

• They replaced electricity with magnets

Multiple Choice

What did integrated circuits combine on a single chip?

• Multiple transistors

• Batteries and wires

• Screens and speakers

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Why were ICs important for the future of computing?

• They made it possible to produce computers on a large scale

• They helped computers play music louder

• They replaced keyboards with voice control

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What was the first U.S. commercial computer?

• UNIVAC I

• ENIAC

• EDSAC

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Why did businesses start using computers like UNIVAC and IBM 701?

• To automate tasks like payroll and inventory

• To entertain customers with video games

• To replace all human workers instantly

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Why was electronic computing important for governments?

• It helped process large data sets like census and defense info

• It allowed leaders to play games during meetings

• It made all government work completely secret