JAMB - Computer Studies (2024 - No. 47)
What is the key innovation of the Analytical Engine?
It utilized a steam-powered mechanism for calculations.
It introduced the concept of a central pmcessing unit (CPU) for calculations.
It incorporated the idea of a memory unit to store data and programs.
It employed punch cards for inputting instructions and data.
Explication
The Analytical Engine, designed by Charles Babbage, though never fully built, proposed a more general-purpose computing machine with an integrated memory unit to store data and programs, separate from the processing unit. This concept became fundamental in later computers.