Ada Lovelace
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Ada Lovelace, born Augusta Ada Byron on December 10, 1815, was an English mathematician and writer, notably recognized as the first computer programmer. She was the daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron and Annabella Milbanke Byron. Despite her father's absence from her life, Ada developed a strong interest in mathematics, encouraged by her mother to counteract the perceived "dangerous" influences of her father's temperament. She was educated privately and later by mathematician Augustus De Morgan. In 1833, she met Charles Babbage, who was working on the Difference Engine, and later became fascinated with his Analytical Engine. Lovelace's most significant contribution was translating Luigi Menabrea's article on the Analytical Engine and adding extensive notes, including a method to calculate Bernoulli numbers. Her work showcased the machine's potential beyond numerical calculations, foreseeing its ability to manipulate symbols and perform complex tasks. Although the Analytical Engine was never fully built, Lovelace's vision was revolutionary. She died on November 27, 1852, at the age of 36. Her contributions gained recognition in the 20th century, and she is celebrated annually on Ada Lovelace Day for her pioneering role in computer science. The programming language Ada was named in her honor.
