Ada Lovelace & Programming Exploration

by Diana EarlyFor CIED 5050

Dr. Utley Summer 2011

• Ada was born on December 10, 1815 in Picadilly Terrace, Middlesex (now in London)

• Daughter of poet Lord Byron and Annabella Millbanke– Separated when Ada was a month old– Father left England shortly after, she never met him.

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• Her mother was so determined for Ada to not become a poet, she hired mathematics and music tutors to counteract the poetic tendencies she may have from her father.

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One tutor was London University’s first professor of mathematics, Augustus De Morgan. He taught her advanced mathematics and had a very high opinion of her abilities.

Another tutor was William Frend, an instructor in astronomy and

mathematics.

• Ada excelled in both mathematics and music, especially the harp.

• In addition to the tutors’ lessons, Ada taught herself geometry at the age of 13.

• From the beginning. Ada had a chronic illness that may have been psychosomatic.– This illness once left her unable to walk for three

years at the age of 14.

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• At 17, Ada was introduced to Mary Somerville who translated LaPlace’s works into English.

• Somerville encouraged Ada to continue to study mathematics and its applications.

• Through Somerville, Ada was able to hear Charles Babbage speak about his Analytical Engine in 1834.

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• In 1835 she married William King, eighth Lord King and ten years older than her.

• Three years later she became Countess of Lovelace when William King became Earl, thus Lady Lovelace.

• This title allowed her to have more contact with elites mathematicians and scientists.

• They had three children, one of which became a famous traveler.

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• When Babbage published his description of his Analytic Engine, Ada translated it to English.

• She also added in her own notes and extended the document to three times its original length.

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• She described how the Analytical Engine could be used be programmed for scientific, mathematical and musical uses.

• Ada passed away November 27, 1852 at the young age of 36.

• She was buried next to her father, who also died to the age of 36.

• She was later known as the first computer programmer.

• In 1979 the US Department of Defense named a high-level computer-programming language after her.

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Calculator Programming Activity

• Teacher Preparation: Read the chapter on Programming in the appropriate graphing calculator guidebook.– http://education.ti.com/calculators/downloads/US

/Guidebooks/Search/• Student Goal: Have students write a program

that inputs variables into formulas. (i.e. area formulas, surface area formulas, etc.)

Initial Questions

• What information do you need to calculate the area of a circle?

• What do we do with that information?• What type of commands to we need to ask of

the calculator?This should lead into a programming exploration, if necessary, the guidebooks have examples.

Probing Questions

• What else do you think we could ask of the calculator?

• Will programming only work for formulas?• What other commands would we need to ask of

the calculator to complete the mentioned tasks?• How could this be used in a math class?• How could this be used in a science class?• Is programming a math or a science?• What do you have to know to program?

Potential Students Solution

Program:AreaTriangle:Prompt b,h:0.5bh→A:Disp “The area of the triangle is” , A