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The first computers were human "computers" whose job was to perform complex calculations manually. This was tedious and error-prone work. Over hundreds of years, inventors searched for ways to mechanize and automate mathematical calculations using tools like the abacus and Napier's Bones. The abacus is one of the earliest aids for calculation, dating back to the Babylonians in 300 BC. Napier's Bones, invented in 1617, used a system of logarithms and rods inscribed with values to allow for easier multiplication through addition. These early "computers" helped automate some mathematical calculations but were still limited compared to modern electronic computers.

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25 views8 pages

Hs of Comp

The first computers were human "computers" whose job was to perform complex calculations manually. This was tedious and error-prone work. Over hundreds of years, inventors searched for ways to mechanize and automate mathematical calculations using tools like the abacus and Napier's Bones. The abacus is one of the earliest aids for calculation, dating back to the Babylonians in 300 BC. Napier's Bones, invented in 1617, used a system of logarithms and rods inscribed with values to allow for easier multiplication through addition. These early "computers" helped automate some mathematical calculations but were still limited compared to modern electronic computers.

Uploaded by

jinrikisha
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as ODP, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Historyofcomputer

Introduction
Thefirstcomputerswerepeople!Thatis,electroniccomputers(andtheearlier mechanicalcomputers)weregiventhisnamebecausetheyperformedthework thathadpreviouslybeenassignedtopeople."Computer"wasoriginallyajobtitle: itwasusedtodescribethosehumanbeings(predominantlywomen)whosejobit wastoperformtherepetitivecalculationsrequiredtocomputesuchthingsas navigationaltables,tidecharts,andplanetarypositionsforastronomical almanacs.Imagineyouhadajobwherehourafterhour,dayafterday,youwere todonothingbutcomputemultiplications.Boredomwouldquicklysetin,leading tocarelessness,leadingtomistakes.Andevenonyourbestdaysyouwouldn't beproducinganswersveryfast.Therefore,inventorshavebeensearchingfor hundredsofyearsforawaytomechanize(thatis,findamechanismthatcan perform)thistask.

EarlyComputers
Theabacuswasanearlyaidformathematicalcomputations.Itsonlyvalue isthatitaidsthememoryofthehumanperformingthecalculation.A skilledabacusoperatorcanworkonadditionandsubtractionproblemsat thespeedofapersonequippedwithahandcalculator(multiplicationand divisionareslower).TheabacusisoftenwronglyattributedtoChina.In fact,theoldestsurvivingabacuswasusedin300B.C.bythe Babylonians.Theabacusisstillinusetoday,principallyinthefareast.A modernabacusconsistsofringsthatslideoverrods,buttheolderone picturedbelowdatesfromthetimewhenpebbleswereusedforcounting (theword"calculus"comesfromtheLatinwordforpebble).

Averyoldabacus

Amoremodernabacus

EarlyComputers
In1617aneccentric(somesaymad)Scotsmannamed JohnNapierinventedlogarithms,whichareatechnology thatallowsmultiplicationtobeperformedviaaddition. Themagicingredientisthelogarithmofeachoperand, whichwasoriginallyobtainedfromaprintedtable.But Napieralsoinventedanalternativetotables,wherethe logarithmvalueswerecarvedonivorystickswhichare nowcalledNapier'sBones.

AnoriginalsetofNapier'sBones

AmoremodernsetofNapier'sBones

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