History of Computers - Pascaline

Page by: Wren Fondren

In 1642, Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, a machine that, although simple, would ultimately lead to some of the most complex and sophisticated computers of our time. That is, with significant help from other inventors and mathematicians along the way. However, the Pascaline set the stage by successfully performing additions and subtractions more quickly and productively than its operator using a system that is still used in modern calculators and computers. The Comptometer would be a successor to the Pascaline that was used for a multitude of calculations. The Comptometer was used until 1990 when it was replaced by faster calculators.

Overview

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The Pascaline's existance came into place in the year 1642, when Blaise Pascal was working for his father handling tax returns [1]. The tax returns involved a long, arduous series of mathematical operations, in which many simple mistakes could be made, simply due to the mass of information that the accountants were handling. Pascal saw the need and filled it by creating a small crank-powered machine that could perform simple operations far more productively than if done by hand.

The Pascaline was about the size of a shoebox, and had ten small glass windows across the metal front that revealed ten small cylinders [2]. These ten cylinders had two sets of numbers written across them, one in black and one in red. The black numbers were used for addition, and were covered by a metal bar when subtractions were being performed with the red set of numbers. In essence, the calculator could only perform addition; subtraction was merely using the same set of mechanics as the addition, but had the numbers that appeared written in a different order on the cylinder than the order in which the black numbers were written. Multiplications and divisions were performed by a series of additions and subtractions, which is how current calculators still perform these operations.

Although the Pascaline was incredibly useful and reduced the time and difficulty of the accountants' jobs, there were only about 50 made, most of which were used to show sophistication in the sitting room rather than used in the office [3]. However, it did hold its own vital significance in the modern world, and will forever be sited in the history of computers.

Significance

The Pascaline was incredibly significant due to the fact that it worked as one of the first calculators. Pascal's innovative mechanical systems of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are still in use today, and set the stage for all computers, especially calculators. The Pascaline makes all computers possible, and is vital in the history of computers, as it is the most important invention prior to 1900.