Evolution Of The Calculator

One of the most influential tools that the human race has to offer is the calculator. The calculator is an asset that helps people perform various arithmetic functions such as addition or division. Over the years, the functionality and the apparel of the calculator have evolved over time. In fact, the history of the calculator can even date back before the years of 1900. Ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Middle East, and even Europe had their own variation of the calculator. In the book, The Universal History of Computing by Georges Ifrah, Ifrah notes evidence of artifacts from an ancient civilization that contains mathematical terms and expressions. Civilizations such as the Greeks and Egypt developed their own way of calculating mathematical problems, despite their limited functionality. For example, the Sumerians (c. 3300 BCE) used rocks to determine the number, such as if there was a small cone, it would represent the number one, while a larger cone would represent the number sixty. Eventually, the Sumerians will create a new method of calculation that will begin a new era of arithmetics. The invention will forever be known as the abacus. The abacus’ design will vary depending on the culture, but their …show more content…
The design and functionality of the Brunsviga calculator compared to the late abacus is like night and day. The Brunsviga was a mechanical calculator that came equipped with levers with digits on them, ranging from zero to nine and a pinwheel to scroll through the numbers. The inspiration to create the Brunsviga was to provide the consumers with a powerful machine that can perform advanced level arithmetic while providing portability as well. Around the time of the 1900s to the 1950s, corporations everywhere are striving for competition to see who can create the most optimal calculators for their