WGU - INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
1. Abacus Often recognized as the first computing device, it uses
beads on a string or rod to temporarily store and
manipulate data. Developed in China, then later
used by early Greek and Roman civilizations.
2. The Leibniz Machine Also known as the "Step Reckoner", it was an early
device
that used gears to perform basic arithmetic
functions, such as adding and subtracting
3. The Analytical Engine A purely mechanical machine developed by Charles
Bab-
bage which read instructions from punched paper
cards. Often recognized as the world's first
programmable com- puter
4. Ada Lovelace Considered the world's first programmer; published
a paper demonstrating the programmability of the
Analytical Engine
5. Where did the usage of punched In 1801 in the textile industry, originally used for
program-
paper cards originate? ming looms
6. Herman Hollerith Designed a tabulating machine which used punched
paper cards to help speed up the tabulating process
of the 1890 US Census
7. Up until how recently were punched paper cards
1/
18
,WGU - INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
used in computing? Until the 1970's
8. What type of switching
compo- nent did the
earliest computers use?
Electro-mechanical relays, as seen in the Bell
Laboratories MK I, completed in 1944
9.
2/
18
, WGU - INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
What invention replaced elec-Vacuum tubes, as seen in the Atanasott-Berry Machine and
tro-mechanical relays in the Colossus
early computing?
10. How did vacuum tubes Gave way to the first fully electronic computers. Tubes were
change early computing?
smaller, faster, and more reliable than relays.
11. Colossus An early computing device used to decipher
German en- crypted messages during WWII
12. ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer; the
world's first general-purpose computer
13. Moore's Law The observation that computing power roughly
doubles every two years
14. How did the development Allowed for more wide-spread usage, popularizing
of desktop computers comput- ing among a greater number of people
change computing?
15. Who built the first viable
Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak in 1976,
home computer?
establishing Apple Computer Inc.
16. PC (Personal Computer) The world's first desktop computer, introduced by IBM
in
1981, whose underlying software was developed
by new- ly-formed Microsoft. The term is now used
to refer to all machines that evolved from this
product
3/
18
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
1. Abacus Often recognized as the first computing device, it uses
beads on a string or rod to temporarily store and
manipulate data. Developed in China, then later
used by early Greek and Roman civilizations.
2. The Leibniz Machine Also known as the "Step Reckoner", it was an early
device
that used gears to perform basic arithmetic
functions, such as adding and subtracting
3. The Analytical Engine A purely mechanical machine developed by Charles
Bab-
bage which read instructions from punched paper
cards. Often recognized as the world's first
programmable com- puter
4. Ada Lovelace Considered the world's first programmer; published
a paper demonstrating the programmability of the
Analytical Engine
5. Where did the usage of punched In 1801 in the textile industry, originally used for
program-
paper cards originate? ming looms
6. Herman Hollerith Designed a tabulating machine which used punched
paper cards to help speed up the tabulating process
of the 1890 US Census
7. Up until how recently were punched paper cards
1/
18
,WGU - INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
used in computing? Until the 1970's
8. What type of switching
compo- nent did the
earliest computers use?
Electro-mechanical relays, as seen in the Bell
Laboratories MK I, completed in 1944
9.
2/
18
, WGU - INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (D322) - SECTION 3 COMPUTER
HARDWARE AND HISTORY QUESTIONS &
DETAILED ANSWERS PASSED ALREADY
GRADED
What invention replaced elec-Vacuum tubes, as seen in the Atanasott-Berry Machine and
tro-mechanical relays in the Colossus
early computing?
10. How did vacuum tubes Gave way to the first fully electronic computers. Tubes were
change early computing?
smaller, faster, and more reliable than relays.
11. Colossus An early computing device used to decipher
German en- crypted messages during WWII
12. ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer; the
world's first general-purpose computer
13. Moore's Law The observation that computing power roughly
doubles every two years
14. How did the development Allowed for more wide-spread usage, popularizing
of desktop computers comput- ing among a greater number of people
change computing?
15. Who built the first viable
Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak in 1976,
home computer?
establishing Apple Computer Inc.
16. PC (Personal Computer) The world's first desktop computer, introduced by IBM
in
1981, whose underlying software was developed
by new- ly-formed Microsoft. The term is now used
to refer to all machines that evolved from this
product
3/
18
