CS200 Prominent Figures in Programming History Flashcards
Who is considered the father of modern computing and formalized the concept of an abstract machine that can simulate any algorithm?
a) Alan Turing
b) John von Neumann
c) Alonzo Church
d) Charles Babbage
Alan Turing
Which mathematician developed the binary numeral system, which became the foundation of digital computers?
a) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
b) Blaise Pascal
c) Ada Lovelace
d) John Napier
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
Alonzo Church is known for which major contribution to computer science?
a) The design of the first mechanical computer
b) The development of Lambda Calculus
c) The invention of the first compiler
d) The creation of binary logic
The development of Lambda Calculus
Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi is best known for his work in:
a) Developing the first algorithm for sorting data
b) Introducing the concept of the algorithm
c) Building the first analog computer
d) Creating the first high-level programming language
Introducing the concept of the algorithm
Ada Lovelace is often referred to as the first computer programmer due to her work on:
a) The design of the first binary computer
b) Writing an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine
c) Developing machine code for the ENIAC
d) Writing the first high-level programming language
Writing an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine
The mathematician who is credited with laying the foundations for modern computer science through his concept of a universal machine.
Alan Turing
The Persian mathematician who introduced the concept of the algorithm, giving us the term still used today in computer science.
Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
The individual responsible for developing Lambda Calculus, which laid the groundwork for functional programming.
Alonzo Church
The German mathematician who developed the binary number system, crucial for digital computing.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
The 19th-century figure often celebrated as the world’s first programmer for her work on the
Analytical Engine.
Ada Lovelace
TRUE/FALSE:
Alan Turing’s Turing Machine concept is essential for understanding the limits of what can be computed by machines.
T
TRUE/FALSE:
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz created one of the first mechanical computers.
False (Leibniz developed the binary system, not a mechanical computer)
TRUE/FALSE:
Alonzo Church’s Lambda Calculus had no influence on modern programming languages.
False (Lambda Calculus is the foundation for functional programming languages)
TRUE/FALSE:
Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi is considered the inventor of algorithms, and his work influenced the development of algebra.
True
Who among the following contributed to the creation of the stored-program concept, which is a key feature in modern computers?
a) John von Neumann
b) Alan Turing
c) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
d) Charles Babbage
John von Neumann
TRUE/FALSE:
Ada Lovelace wrote detailed notes on how to use Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, including the first algorithm intended to be carried out by a machine.
T
Which of the following historical figures contributed to the development of object-oriented programming concepts?
a) Kristen Nygaard and Ole-Johan Dahl
b) Ada Lovelace
c) Alonzo Church
d) Alan Turing
Kristen Nygaard and Ole-Johan Dahl
John von Neumann is known for developing:
a) The binary numeral system
b) The architecture for modern digital computers
c) The theory of NP-completeness
d) The concept of relational databases
The architecture for modern digital computers
Which mathematician is recognized for advancing game theory, which has applications in economics, computing, and strategic decision-making?
a) Charles Babbage
b) Alan Turing
c) John von Neumann
d) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
John von Neumann
Grace Hopper contributed to the development of which significant early programming tool?
a) The first compiler
b) Lambda Calculus
c) The binary system
d) The Analytical Engine
The first compiler
The person who conceptualized the Von Neumann architecture, a foundational model for modern computers.
John von Neumann
The creator of Lambda Calculus, a formal system for expressing computation via function abstraction and application.
Alonzo Church
The individual often referred to as the “Mother of COBOL” and known for creating the first compiler.
Grace Hopper
The 17th-century mathematician whose work on binary arithmetic became the foundation for digital computers.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
The developers of Simula, considered the first object-oriented programming language.
Kristen Nygaard and Ole-Johan Dahl
TRUE/FALSE:
John von Neumann’s work on the stored-program concept allows computers to store programs in their memory and execute instructions sequentially.
T
TRUE/FALSE:
Ada Lovelace designed and built the first working mechanical computer.
False (She wrote an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, but it was never built)
TRUE/FALSE:
Alonzo Church’s Lambda Calculus is a foundational concept for the functional programming paradigm.
T
TRUE/FALSE:
Grace Hopper is credited with coining the term “bug” to describe a computer glitch.
T
TRUE/FALSE:
Charles Babbage created the Turing Machine, which forms the theoretical basis for modern computation.
False (The Turing Machine was conceptualized by Alan Turing, not Babbage)
