Charles Babbage: Part 1

Question 1

Charles Babbage (1791 - 1871)

Answer 1

1. Grandfather of the computer age
   2.His ideas were advanced for the time
2. Attended Cambridge
3. Invented the Difference engine and Analytical engine

Question 2

Babbage’s life at Cambridge

Answer 2

1. Too advanced for his classes
2. Very active social life because he had so much extra time

Question 3

Babbage Post college

Answer 3

1. Did not receive the recognition he desired at Cambridge while he was well respected across Europe

Question 4

Babbage’s contributions to Logarithms and the British Rail system

Answer 4

Published the most accurate set of logarithms to date(1826).
Invented the cow catcher and a recovery method of lost rail cars

Question 5

Babbage’s social life

Answer 5

Mingled with many high class people to expose his ideas to them. In his later years, had a very bad relationship with the common people of England.

Question 6

Why did Babbage invent the Difference Engine

Answer 6

The creation of mathematical tables was always going to be prone to error until humans were taken out of the equation completely

Question 7

Why didn’t Babbage finish the Difference Engine

Answer 7

Financial and Health problems, as well as his falling out with Clement