Q1_Intro. to Computing

Which early computing device was specifically designed to calculate the positions of celestial bodies?

• Napier’s Bones
• Antikythera Mechanism
• Abacus
• Analytical Engine

Answer explanation

Antikythera Mechanism was designed to calculate astronomical positions.

What innovation made Jacquard’s loom significant in the evolution of computing?

• Mechanical arms
• Boolean logic
• Punch card automation
• Vacuum tubes

Answer explanation

Jacquard’s loom used punch cards, a key step in computing history.

Augusta Ada Byron’s work with Babbage is most notable because she:

• Designed a physical machine
• Wrote the first algorithm intended for processing
• Used a light pen interface
• Invented binary code

Answer explanation

Ada is considered the first computer programmer.

Which best reflects Charles Babbage’s concept of the Analytical Engine?

• A calculator with only arithmetic functions
• A mechanical device for typewriting
• A general-purpose programmable machine
• A digital transistor circuit

Answer explanation

The Analytical Engine could be programmed to solve any mathematical problem.

Napier’s Bones contributed to computational efficiency by:

• Converting binary to decimal
• Reducing complex algebra to geometry
• Transforming multiplication/division into addition/subtraction
• Generating pseudocode

Answer explanation

Napier’s Bones simplified multiplication using addition tables.

The introduction of Boolean Algebra directly influenced:

• The creation of the internet
• The design of mechanical looms
• The foundation of digital circuit logic
• The invention of the first mouse

Answer explanation

Boolean Algebra laid the foundation for digital logic circuits.

Claude Shannon’s application of Boolean logic to electronic circuits marks the beginning of:

• Analog computing
• Light-pen interfacing
• Digital circuit design
• Punched-card memory

Answer explanation

Shannon used Boolean algebra to describe digital circuits.

Which of these inventors is incorrectly paired with their contribution?

• Samuel Morse – Morse Code
• Herman Hollerith – Punch Card Census Machine
• Ivan Sutherland – Transistor
• Doug Engelbart – Word Processor

Answer explanation

Ivan Sutherland is incorrectly paired—he did not invent the transistor.

The significance of Wilhelm Schickard’s machine in 1623 lies in:

• Its symbolic algebraic logic
• The first mechanical calculator with memory
• Optical character recognition
• Vacuum tube utilization

Answer explanation

Schickard built one of the first mechanical calculators.

Which development was foundational for modern operating systems and memory architecture?

• ENIAC’s physical structure
• Jacquard’s punch card design
• EDVAC’s stored program concept
• UNIVAC’s commercial use

Answer explanation

EDVAC’s use of stored programs was a crucial step.