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The History of Computing Trivia Quiz

My career followed the growth of the data processing industry. At the time I attended college there were no majors in data processing. I gained most of my training on my own or on the job.

A multiple-choice quiz by denmarks. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
denmarks

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
233,815

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1494

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Before the development of mainframe computers, data processing was done with cards. They were sorted, merged, and run through tabulating machines to create reports. What was a person called who worked in this field? Hint

Tab Operator

Data Input Clerk

Card Processor

Programmer

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Question 2 of 10

2. Punch cards were commonly called IBM cards, except by employees of Univac. They were invented by Herman Hollerith and measured 7 3/8" by 3 1/4". Why was this size chosen? Hint

It was the standard size of banknotes.

They would fit into his file cabinets.

1000 cards occupied one square foot.

The paper he had could be cut evenly into 3 cards.

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Question 3 of 10

3. Each punch card had 80 columns and each column contained one or more punches to represent letters, numbers, and special characters. Many companies continued to use round holes after IBM developed the rectangular hole since IBM held the patent.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the early 1960s the IBM 1620 was introduced and used in many colleges. I was able to play with the one at UCLA. It was unique for the following reason. Hint

It had to be programmed in machine language.

It could only add and subtract by using a table.

The only input and output was a punched tape.

The only controls were push buttons and dials.

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Question 5 of 10

5. If you saw the statement "add pay to total" what computer language would you be looking at? Hint

Basic

Cobol

Assembler

Pascal

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Question 6 of 10

6. A high level language could usually be run on any computer while a low level was designed for a specific computer.
Which of the following is a low level language? Hint

Fortran

Assembly

Cobol

Algol

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Question 7 of 10

7. The Tabulating Machine Company became which of the following companies? Hint

Xerox

Univac

IBM

Data General

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Question 8 of 10

8. The IBM 360-67 was a virtual computer. What did that mean it was capable of doing? Hint

All of these

Users phone in to be connected to the computer.

It could run its own operating system as a separate virtual computer.

It could be time shared as multiple computers.

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Question 9 of 10

9. A computer tape needed a ring to be inserted into its reel in order to use it.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. You are looking at a cobol program and see "pic x(10)". What does that mean? Hint

The programmer made a mistake as this is not valid code.

A 10 pixel picture is to be inserted at this point.

It is describing the format of a field as 10 alphanumeric characters.

The value of pic is being raised to the 10th power.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Tab Operator

A tab operator worked in a tab room. The title came from the tabulating machines that created the final reports. He was surrounded by file cabinets containing millions of punch cards.

2. Punch cards were commonly called IBM cards, except by employees of Univac. They were invented by Herman Hollerith and measured 7 3/8" by 3 1/4". Why was this size chosen?

Answer: It was the standard size of banknotes.

They were designed to be the same size as banknotes and fit into existing banknote boxes.

Answer: True

There were 12 positions in each column that were named from top to bottom the 12, 11, 10 or 0, and 1-9 punches. Numbers were represented by 1 punch in the 0-9 position. Letters had 2 punches, 1 in the 10-12 zone and 1 in the 1-9 position. IBM held the patent on rectangular punches.

4. In the early 1960s the IBM 1620 was introduced and used in many colleges. I was able to play with the one at UCLA. It was unique for the following reason.

Answer: It could only add and subtract by using a table.

The IBM 1620 could only do addition, subtraction, and multiplication by using a table. Division was done using programming. Input, output, and control could be done with an electric typewriter.

5. If you saw the statement "add pay to total" what computer language would you be looking at?

Answer: Cobol

Most languages allowed you to use a formula such as total = total + pay. Cobol was more formal though it did have the capability by using the compute statement. Compute total = total + pay. Basic had the optional word "let" before a formula.

6. A high level language could usually be run on any computer while a low level was designed for a specific computer. Which of the following is a low level language?

Answer: Assembly

Assembly language consisted of mnemonics that represented the actual machine code. The advantage over straight machine language is that it would let you use names instead of actual memory addresses.

7. The Tabulating Machine Company became which of the following companies?

Answer: IBM

The Tabulating Machine Company was started in the late 19th century by Herman Hollerith, the inventer of the punch card. It became IBM in 1924.

8. The IBM 360-67 was a virtual computer. What did that mean it was capable of doing?

Answer: All of these

The IBM 360-67 was used for testing programs since everything could be run within a virtual computer and could not effect other users.

9. A computer tape needed a ring to be inserted into its reel in order to use it.

Answer: False

A ring only needed to be inserted to write on the tape.

10. You are looking at a cobol program and see "pic x(10)". What does that mean?

Answer: It is describing the format of a field as 10 alphanumeric characters.

The pic statement showed the format of a field in a record or a storage variable. X represented alphanumeric and 9 represented numeric. A number in parenthesis was a repetition factor. S9(7)V99 would represent a signed numeric field with 7 digits before the decimal point and 2 after.

Source: Author denmarks

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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