Charles Babbage Computer Genius Essay Research Paper

Charles Babbage I Charles Babbage A. Was born in London 1. He was born on December 26, 1792 2. He was the son of Benjamin Babbage, who was a London banker. 3. Babbage stayed a bachelor all of his life and never got married. 4. Babbage became his own instructor of algebra, he loved solving mathematical problems. B. Charles Babbage attended Trinity College in Cambridge in 1811. 1. It was about that time that Babbage first acquired the interest in calculating machinery that became his consuming passion for the remainder of his life. II The difference machine/ I chose this invention because it it’s very helpful to mankind because it makes math easier. A. He spent half of his lifetime trying to invent a machine that would solve simple math equations. 1. While working hard to invent this machine he stumbled across a different machine that preformed many tasks this was called the computer. B. The Scientific Method 1. Problem statement a. What is an easier way to solve big math problems without paper and pencil? 2. Data Research a. He was a great mathematician, which helped him out extremely while working on the difference machine. 3. Hypothesis a. He believed that there was a way to make a contraption that calculated equations, but he never thought of the computer idea. 4. Procedure a. Steps 1. He used pieces of sheet metal and steel pipes to make the first half. 2. Then he made a data chip that would do most of the thinking. b. Materials 1. Sheet metal 2. Steel pipes 3. Silicon 4. Wiring 5. Copper 6. Observations a. It stated that Babbage was a great at observing things. So when he wrote about his observations, during the process it was in great detail. He stated every sound It made and how it shook as well. 7. Conclusions a. He concluded with ” I hope that this machine will make a large change in history” He concluded that his project not only turned out to be the first calculator but he also made more by inventing the computer as well. C. Significance 1. It was a very important invention to the world. a. It helped calculate money. b. It solved problems too big to solve by hand. c. It calculated ratios and populations d. If this invention weren’t here life would be harder. We would have to estimate large problems, and we would not know a population of a town.