Ada Lovelace is widely known as the world's first computer programmer. In the 1840s, Ada Lovelace wrote the world’s first machine algorithm. It was for an early computing machine that existed only on paper.
Ada Lovelace, also known as "The Enchantress of Numbers."
Daughter of Romantic poet Lord Byron, she was born Augusta Ada Byron on December 10, 1815. She was just a teenager when she met Cambridge mathematics professor Charles Babbage. In 1834 he designed his Analytical Engine, the first general purpose computer.
Charles Babbage, 26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871.
In 1842, Babbage gave a lecture on the engine, which was transcribed in French. Ada, now known as the Countess of Lovelace, was charged with translating it into English. She added her own notes. These notes made it clear she had an in-depth understanding of how the machine worked. Her understanding matched Babbage's. She wrote the data input that would program the machine. It is now considered the first computer program.
The Analytical Engine, the first fully-automatic calculating machine. The Science Museum.
More than this though, she saw that numbers could be used to mean more than just quantities. She realised a machine that understands numbers could understand any data represented by numbers. Ada predicted that machines could be used to compose music, create graphics and much more. It turns out she was right!
Get ready to learn the language of robots as Messy and the gang explore coding. Messy Monster types a code and gets a surprise. Play the Beep-Beep board game, make a Quiz-O-Meter and much more with OKIDO!
OKIDO has a BRAND NEW app to make learning with OKIDO even more fun! This digital companion to your magazine brings new extra, interactive content every month to help bring the topic to life. Find out more here.
