Ada LovelaceFirst computer programmer

Super Scientists

The Story of Ada Lovelace

Super Scientists www.bp.com/bpes/superscientists

Ada was born on 10 December 1815 in London, England.

Her father was the moody but talented poet Lord Byron. When she was just a few months old her parents separated and Ada never saw him again.

Ada’s mother did not take a great interest in her daughter, but she did hire a tutor to teach her maths and science subjects - which girls did not usually study, but ones her mother loved.

Ada did very well at her lessons and quickly realised she shared her mother's passion for numbers.

One day, when she was 12, she was inspired by birds flying and wondered if people could fly too. She scientifically tested different wing materials, studied bird anatomy and created a design for a steam-powered flying machine, long before planes were invented.

At 17 she started going to dances and was introduced to the mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage, who immediately saw Ada's potential.

Ada was asked to help with his big project - designing the Analytical Engine - a steam-powered machine which could solve maths calculations. This was the first step to modern computers.

It would have some features we recognise today - a way of giving the computer instructions, memory and even a printer. But it would also be as big as a room, made of brass and iron and would receive its instructions using a card with holes punched into it!

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Ada LovelaceFirst computer programmer

Super Scientists

The Story of Ada Lovelace

Super Scientists www.bp.com/bpes/superscientists

Ada was asked to work on a description of the machine.

Her hard work in maths paid off when she noticed and corrected mistakes in Charles' calculations. She also wrote out a fully complete set of instructions which could be given to the machine. We now call this a computer algorithm.

Ada also predicted that computers could be used for more than mathematical calculations - they could compose music and draw pictures - just like today.

She noted all of her ideas down and had them published. Unfortunately her ideas received little attention - probably because computers wouldn't be able to do these things for 100 years!

Ada spent the next 20 years working with Charles improving the designs of the machine. However, in 1852, she died, aged just 36.

Due to a lack of money, Ada and Charles’ great Analytical Engine was never built, but mathematicians today agree that the computer would have worked as predicted.

Today she is known and respected as the first computer programmer. She has a computer language named after her and even her own day dedicated to her.

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