Charles+Babbage

Charles Babbage was born on December 26, 1791. He is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer. In Babbage's time, mathematical tables were calculated by humans, and had a high rate of human error. Babbage wanted to find a method to calculate them mechanically, to get rid of human error. In 1822, he came up with an idea for a difference engine, that could compute polynomial functions. The difference engine was never completed but his design for the Difference Engine No. 2 was completed in 1991. It was never completed in his lifetime due to funding problems. In 1824, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for the invention of an engine for calculating mathematical and astronomical tables. After the difference engine, he started working on an analytical engine. He never finished either engine and died on October 18, 1871.