Sunday, November 1, 2009
The only child of British poet Lord George Gordon Byron and Annabella Milkbanke (who was herself a proficient mathematician in an age when ladies just didn't do that sort of thing), Augusta Ada Byron showed an early flair for math and logical thought in what was to be a sadly short life.
Mostly self-educated in mathematics, as her studies advanced Ada found a mentor in Augustus de Morgan, first professor of mathematics at the University of London - and one of the people that can be held accountable for the development of modern algebra.
Ada kept up regular correspondence with the leading scientific lights of her day, and it was through her friendship with mathematician Mary Somerville that she was eventually introduced to Charles Babbage.
Ada was fascinated with Babbage's theoretical ‘difference’ and ‘analytical’ engines, and in 1842 agreed to translate a French account of his technical presentations into English. By 1843 the original 'Notions sur la machine analytique de Charles Babbage' (Elements of Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, Luigi Frederico Menabrea, 1842) had tripled in size with the addition of her own notes and observations.
Babbage - not a particularly warm or likable man by all accounts - was impressed, admitting that: "the more I read your notes the more surprised I am at them and regret not having earlier explored so rich a vein of the noblest metal." (Purple prose was big back then.)
Mostly self-educated in mathematics, as her studies advanced Ada found a mentor in Augustus de Morgan, first professor of mathematics at the University of London - and one of the people that can be held accountable for the development of modern algebra.
Ada kept up regular correspondence with the leading scientific lights of her day, and it was through her friendship with mathematician Mary Somerville that she was eventually introduced to Charles Babbage.
Ada was fascinated with Babbage's theoretical ‘difference’ and ‘analytical’ engines, and in 1842 agreed to translate a French account of his technical presentations into English. By 1843 the original 'Notions sur la machine analytique de Charles Babbage' (Elements of Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, Luigi Frederico Menabrea, 1842) had tripled in size with the addition of her own notes and observations.
Babbage - not a particularly warm or likable man by all accounts - was impressed, admitting that: "the more I read your notes the more surprised I am at them and regret not having earlier explored so rich a vein of the noblest metal." (Purple prose was big back then.)
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