Final answer:
Blaise Pascal and Gottfried Leibniz are considered computer pioneers for their early inventions of mechanical calculators. Pascal devised the first mechanical digital calculator, while Leibniz improved it to include multiplication and division functions. These early devices contributed to the development of modern computing technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blaise Pascal and Gottfried Leibniz are remembered as computer pioneers for their invention of various calculating machines that laid the groundwork for future computers. In particular, Pascal is known for the invention of the first mechanical digital calculator, known as Pascal's Calculator or the Pascaline. This device was capable of performing addition and subtraction directly, and multiplication and division by repetition. Gottfried Leibniz improved on Pascal's design to create a calculator that could also perform multiplication and division easily, thus making calculations more efficient. These inventions represented significant advancements in technology during their time, and their principles have played a part in the evolution of modern computing.
In addition to Pascal's work on the calculator, he made substantial contributions to mathematics, including in probability theory, number theory, and geometry. Notably, Pascal was home-schooled by his father, who forbade him from studying mathematics until he was 15, which only increased his interest in the subject. By self-teaching geometry at the age of 12, Pascal showed early signs of his remarkable intellect.