Comp 105, HW #1
Due Monday of third week
You are welcome to discuss these questions with your classmates, the
instructor, or a TA, but I strongly encourage you to try to find
answers on your own before you seek help from others. If you make use
of any outside information in answering these questions, or if you
receive help from anyone, you need to acknowledge that along with your
answer. Answers should prepared using a word processor, and printed
out before the beginning of class. All written answers should be clearly
written and grammatically correct.
For questions that ask you to read and understand Alice code you
must attempt the question without using Alice fist. If you want to
double check your answer by writing the Alice code you may, but you
must attempt the question without using Alice fist. If your
understating of what the code should be doing doesn't match up with
what the code actually does, ask the instructor or a TA for help.
- The Eniac and the Z3 (the computer designed by Konrad Zuse for
the German government during WWII) can each make a claim to
being the first "computer". The two machines differed both in the
way they were organized, and in the underlying technologies that
made them possible.
- Describe the key differences and similarities between the
two machines. (3pts)
- Which machine has more in common with modern day computers?
Justify your answer.(3pts)
- The Eniac and Z3 both made use of the binary number system,
while Babbage's analytical engine was designed to use the decimal
system. How can this difference in approach be explained? (2pts)
- Provide a clear and succinct description of what will happen
when the following Alice program is executed. You may assume that
the chicken is taller than the joey, and that the joey is taller
than the ladybug. (3pts)
- How would your answer change if "my first method" was
changed to the following? (2pts)
- What about this? (2pts)
