Question

Machines capable of performing addition and subtraction operations were known as:

a) Abacus
b) Turing machines
c) Jacquard looms
d) Analytical engines

Answer 1

The correct answer is 'a) Abacus', which is a device historically used for basic arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction.

Step-by-step explanation:

Machines capable of performing addition and subtraction operations were historically known as abacuses. However, the options provided include advanced machines compared to an abacus. The Analytical Engine, conceived by Charles Babbage, was capable of more complex calculations and is a seminal concept in the history of computing, but it was designed to do more than just add or subtract.

Turing machines, conceptualized by Alan Turing, provided the foundation for modern computer science but are theoretical models of computation rather than physical machines for basic arithmetic. The Jacquard loom was an automated loom that used punch cards to control patterns but was not a computational device for arithmetic.

For a student's schoolwork question, the correct answer addressing machines known specifically for addition and subtraction is actually A. the abacus.