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4 FUNDAMENTAL

OF COMPUTER

Your Aim

4.1 History of Computer 4.3 Computer Languages
4.2 Computer Generations

Gowri: Aryan, what are you thinking so deeply about?
Aryan: Hello Gowri, I was thinking about this computer we are
working on. How did it develop? Was it always like this?
Gowri: No Aryan. Let me tell you about the HISTORY OF
COMPUTERS. The computer you see today was not like this
before. It took many years to make the computer as it is today.
Let us look at the history and generations of the computers.
Aryan: Really? I am eager to know!

Gowri: OK, today I will tell you about the history of computers.

4.1 HISTORY OF COMPUTER
In the beginning, fingers, stones, and sticks were used for counting. As calculations became
complex, new tools were invented."

ABACUS: The first calculating device, the Abacus, was invented
Ø
around 5000 years ago in China for performing simple addition and
subtraction. Fig. 4.1
NAPIER’S BONES: In 1617, John Napier invented a calculating device
Ø
called Napier’s Bones. It was designed for simple calculations such as
addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Later on, it was improved to
perform division and to find square roots. Fig. 4.2

PASCALINE: In 1642, Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician,
Ø
invented the first mechanical computing machine known as the
PASCALINE.
Fig. 4.3
STEP RECKONER: In 1673, the more advanced calculating machine
Ø
named STEP RECKONER was developed by Gottfried Wilhelm(von) Leibniz. It can
do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
BABBAGE’S ANALYTICAL ENGINE: In 1833, Charles Babbage, a mathematics
Ø
professor at Cambridge University, England, developed the Analytical Engine. It
has five key features: input, storage, processor, control unit and output.

56 KVS DELHI REGION 2025