Which of the following is considered the first mechanical computer designed by Charles Babbage?

Correct option is D

The Analytical Engine is considered the first mechanical computer designed by Charles Babbage. It was a groundbreaking design for a general-purpose computing machine, featuring components such as an arithmetic logic unit, control flow through conditional branching and loops, and memory. Though it was never completed in Babbage's lifetime, it laid the foundation for future computers.
Important Key Points:
1. General-Purpose Design: The Analytical Engine was designed to perform any calculation, unlike earlier machines that were specialized for specific tasks.
2. Key Innovations: It included features such as a punched card input system, a central processing unit (CPU), and memory storage.
3. Legacy: Charles Babbage is often referred to as the "father of the computer" for his conceptual contributions that influenced the development of modern computing.
Knowledge Booster:
· ENIAC: ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was one of the earliest electronic general-purpose computers, but it was developed in the 1940s, long after the Analytical Engine.
· Abacus: The abacus is an ancient tool for performing arithmetic calculations but is not a mechanical computer.
· UNIVAC: UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was one of the first commercially produced computers in the 1950s, developed after the Analytical Engine.