The first calculating machine is credited to Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. In 1642, at the young age of 19, Pascal developed what he called the ‘Pascaline.’ This machine was designed to assist with his father’s tax calculations and could perform addition and subtraction by using a series of gears and wheels. The invention marked a significant milestone in the history of computing, laying the groundwork for future developments in calculation machines.
Pascals’s invention was not widely adopted during his lifetime due to its complexity and cost, but it demonstrated the potential of mechanical devices to perform arithmetic operations. Over the years, other inventors built upon his work, leading to more sophisticated calculating machines. Pascal’s contribution is often seen as a foundational step in the evolution of computing technology.