Algorithms & the Birth of Computing
General Learning Course
From Lovelace's first algorithm to Turing's universal machine — and the question of whether machines can think.
Start here — the story
In 1843 a young woman published a set of notes about a calculating engine that did not exist. Buried in them was an idea nobody would need for a hundred years: that a machine shuffling numbers could just as easily shuffle music, or words, or anything else you could turn into numbers.
The Complete Guide to Algorithms & the Birth of Computing — 6 chapters, about 14 minutes. You are not expected to know anything before you start.
What you’ll be able to explain
- Define an algorithm and recognise one anywhere
- Explain Turing's idea of a universal machine
- Argue both sides of 'can machines think?'
Incandio does not yet support a Computer Science specification. This course is not mapped to any Computer Science course on any board — if you are taking a Computer Science exam, check your specification for what is actually required.