Final answer:
Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine was significant for its use of punch cards, which greatly improved the efficiency of managing large amounts of data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tabulating machine developed by Herman Hollerith was significant for its use of punch cards. The punch cards allowed data to be inputted into the machine, which could then process and tabulate the information. This innovation greatly improved the efficiency of managing large amounts of data and laid the foundation for modern computer systems.