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Analytical Engine
Analytical Engine was also invented by Charles Babbage in 1833. This

machine was made from steam-driven mechanical parts. It could perform
all arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division. It had all the main parts that of any modern computer – an input
device, a storage device, a central processing unit, and an output device.
Thus, Charles Babbage is known as the ‘Father of Computer’. Analytical Engine

Knowledge Discovery Subject Enrichment

In 1673, the German mathematician-philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
built a calculating machine called the Stepped Reckoner. It expanded on Pascal’s
ideas and did multiplication by repeated addition and shifting.

EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS
The computer that we use today is the outcome of the development of different generations of computing
devices. Each generation of computers is characterised by a major technological development that
fundamentally changed the way computers operate. Each generation resulted in smaller, cheaper, more
powerful, and more reliable computers.
Let us discuss the characteristics of different generations of computers.

Generation of Time Key Characteristics of Computers Examples
Computers Period Technology

First 1940 Vacuum • used magnetic drums for memory. ENIAC,
to tubes • were huge in size and very expensive. UNIVAC
1956 • consumed large amount of electricity and
generated a lot of heat.
• used machine language and could solve only one
problem at a time.

Second 1956 Transistors • used magnetic drums with magnetic cores for IBM
to memory. 1401,
1963 • were the first computers to store instructions in NCR 304
their memory.
• moved from machine language to assembly language.
Third 1964 Integrated • used smaller-sized transistors placed on silicon PDP-8,

to circuits chips, called semiconductors. IBM 360
1971 • used an operating system for their overall functioning.
• started using keyboards and monitors.
• supported high-level programming languages.
• were capable of running several programs at the
same time.
• became accessible due to much reduced size and
cost.

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