PHILIPPINE MEDICAL WOMEN’S SCHOOL

Module in ICT
3
ICT 3 | Module 1

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Lesson 1 – The Modern Computers - How They All Began

People have always found ways of doing things more easily. For
example, a gas range, an oven, and other kitchen appliances were
invented to make cooking easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Can you
give other examples of inventions?

Since the day the world began, the most basic way to count was
with the use of our fingers. When we learned how to count, our parents
and teachers taught us to count out loud using our fingers, too.

Counting large numbers is a difficult thing to do. Different types of

machines were invented in order for us to count large numbers.

I. Abacus

Around the 13th century, the Chinese people invented the abacus. It
was a handy tool for counting big numbers, and was capable of
performing addition and subtraction using beads and rods. They used
the abacus for business and other things that required counting large
numbers. The abacus is still being used today.

II. Pascaline

Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline,

which was first known as the Pascal's
calculator. Pascaline is also called as
Arithmetic Machine. Instead of using
rods and beads, he used wheels to move
its counter to perform addition and
subtraction. Blaise Pascal developed
Pascaline to help his father in performing his job as a tax collector.

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 III. Leibniz calculator

The Leibniz calculator was created

by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. This
type of calculator was able to do the
four basic mathematical operations -
addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and division. He was also an advocate
of the binary system. Binary numbers are ideal for machines because it
requires only two digits, which can be easily presented by the on and
off states of a switch.

IV. Analytical Engine

The analytical engine is considered as the

beginning of the modern computer since it
was able to perform complex mathematical
operations. Charles Babbage and Lady
Augusta Byron worked together to make this
machine as the first programmable
computing device. Unfortunately, Charles
Babbage died without finish ing his work.
Lady Augusta kept records of his original
work and completed the project. The original idea of a computing
device came from Charles Babbage, and that is why he is called as "The
Father of the Modern Computer."

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