The Manchester Baby: The Birth of Stored-Program Computing Quiz

Question 1

What was a key challenge engineers encountered while developing the Manchester Baby computer?

Accepted Answer

Creating a memory system to store both programs and data

Answer

Acquiring affordable and reliable transistors

Answer

Designing circuits for high-speed operation

Question 2

Which innovation introduced by the Manchester Baby had the most profound impact on the advancement of computing?

Accepted Answer

Enabled the storage of programs in memory

Answer

Accelerated data processing speeds

Answer

Reduced the physical dimensions and cost of computers

Answer

Facilitated the creation of graphical user interfaces

Question 3

What was the groundbreaking innovation introduced by the Manchester Baby that revolutionized computing?

Accepted Answer

Stored-program computing

Answer

Electronic switches

Answer

Binary code

Answer

Automated data entry

Question 4

Which of the following components was NOT incorporated into the design of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Transistors

Answer

Williams tube memory

Answer

Vacuum tubes

Answer

Punch cards

Question 5

How did the development of the Manchester Baby impact the future of computing?

Accepted Answer

Laid the foundation for modern stored-program computers

Answer

Inspired the invention of the transistor

Answer

Led to the creation of the first personal computer

Answer

Advanced the field of artificial intelligence

Question 6

Define a Williams tube memory.

Accepted Answer

A type of cathode ray tube used for storing data

Answer

A compact storage device using magnetic tape

Answer

A solid-state memory module

Answer

A device for generating electronic signals

Question 7

Which type of programming language was primarily used on the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Machine code

Answer

Assembly language

Answer

FORTRAN

Answer

COBOL

Question 8

Identify the application that was NOT supported by the Manchester Baby.

Accepted Answer

Image recognition

Answer

Mathematical calculations

Answer

Simulations

Answer

Data processing

Question 9

What was the biggest impact of the stored-program concept on computing?

Accepted Answer

Computers could repeat tasks without a person needing to input each step.

Answer

Calculations could be performed much faster.

Answer

Building computers became much cheaper.

Answer

Programmers were no longer needed to operate computers.

Question 10

What was the primary architectural distinction between the Manchester Baby and its predecessors?

Accepted Answer

Program storage in memory

Answer

Transistor-based construction

Answer

Graphical user interface implementation

Question 11

How did the stored-program concept revolutionize computing?

Accepted Answer

Allowed for versatile programming

Answer

Increased processing speed

Answer

Simplified hardware design

Answer

Limited areas of application

Question 12

Who led the development team of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Frederic Williams

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

John von Neumann

Answer

Grace Hopper

Question 13

What was the revolutionary concept introduced by the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Stored-program concept

Answer

Transistor technology

Answer

Integrated circuit design

Answer

Graphical user interface

Question 14

Select the option that was NOT a limitation of the Manchester Baby:

Accepted Answer

Ability to perform complex calculations

Answer

Small memory capacity

Answer

Slow processing speed

Answer

Limited input/output capabilities

Question 15

How did the Manchester Baby contribute to the development of modern computing?

Accepted Answer

Established the stored-program concept as a cornerstone of computer architecture

Answer

Fueled the rapid development of commercial computers

Answer

Revolutionized business operations

Answer

Made personal computers widely accessible

Question 16

Which storage technology was used in the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Cathode ray tube memory

Answer

Punched cards

Answer

Magnetic tape

Answer

Solid-state hard drive

Question 17

What programming language was used on the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Machine code

Answer

Assembly language

Answer

Fortran

Answer

COBOL

Question 18

What groundbreaking innovation did the Manchester Baby introduce to the field of computing?

Accepted Answer

Storing programs in its memory

Answer

Electronic circuit technology

Answer

Transistor-based design

Answer

Graphical user interface

Question 19

Which of the following components was NOT used in the construction of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Integrated circuits

Answer

Williams-Kilburn tube

Answer

Vacuum tubes

Answer

Magnetic core memory

Question 20

What was the primary intended purpose of the Manchester Baby computer?

Accepted Answer

Performing scientific calculations

Answer

Running business applications

Answer

Serving as a personal computer

Answer

Controlling industrial machinery

Question 21

Which of the following is considered a major impact of the Manchester Baby's invention?

Accepted Answer

Laying the foundation for modern digital computing

Answer

Revolutionizing the finance industry

Answer

Leading directly to the development of the internet

Answer

Greatly improving communication technologies

Question 22

Who served as the Director of the Computing Machine Laboratory where the Manchester Baby was built?

Accepted Answer

Maurice Wilkes

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

John von Neumann

Answer

Tommy Flowers

Question 23

What was a significant limitation of the Manchester Baby computer?

Accepted Answer

Limited memory storage capacity

Answer

Slow processing speed

Answer

High power consumption

Answer

Complex programming requirements

Question 24

Which programming language was specifically developed for use on the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Autocode

Answer

FORTRAN

Answer

COBOL

Answer

Java

Question 25

The Manchester Baby had limited memory. How did engineers solve this problem?

Accepted Answer

They used a Williams tube memory device.

Answer

They used a small amount of magnetic core memory.

Answer

They used transistor-based memory.

Answer

They used vacuum tube memory.

Question 26

Who is widely recognized as the chief architect of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Frederic C. Williams

Answer

Charles Babbage

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

John von Neumann

Question 27

What was the primary purpose of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

To demonstrate the feasibility of stored-program computing

Answer

To provide a practical tool for scientific research

Answer

To serve as a general-purpose computer for commercial use

Answer

To decipher German Enigma codes

Question 28

Which innovation was central to the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Storing programs in its memory

Answer

Using transistors as its primary components

Answer

Possessing a graphical user interface

Answer

Connecting to the internet

Question 29

Which memory device was employed in the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Random-access memory (RAM)

Answer

Read-only memory (ROM)

Answer

Cathode-ray tube (CRT)

Answer

Magnetic tape

Question 30

What was the primary function of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Performing scientific calculations

Answer

Playing video games

Answer

Word processing

Answer

Communication via email

Question 31

Which of the following best describes the impact of the Manchester Baby on modern computing?

Accepted Answer

Revolutionizing programming and data storage

Answer

Leading directly to the creation of personal computers

Answer

Having no significant influence on the evolution of computing

Answer

Being primarily utilized for military applications

Question 32

Which programming language was used on the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Machine code

Answer

FORTRAN

Answer

BASIC

Answer

Assembly language

Question 33

What was the role of the cathode-ray tube (CRT) in the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Providing visual feedback of data

Answer

Displaying high-resolution graphics

Answer

Permanently storing large amounts of information

Answer

Serving as a primary input device

Question 34

How did the Manchester Baby contribute to future developments in computing?

Accepted Answer

By demonstrating a practical model of stored-program computing

Answer

By reducing computer size and increasing accessibility

Answer

By dramatically enhancing speed and performance

Answer

By introducing cloud computing concepts

Question 35

Who is widely acknowledged as the lead architect of the Manchester Baby, the first electronic computer to store programs in its memory?

Accepted Answer

Freddie Williams

Answer

Grace Hopper

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

Charles Babbage

Question 36

What was the groundbreaking innovation introduced by the Manchester Baby that revolutionized computing?

Accepted Answer

It stored programs in its memory

Answer

It used vacuum tubes instead of transistors

Answer

It was the first computer to use a graphical user interface

Answer

It introduced the concept of binary code

Question 37

Why is the Manchester Baby widely regarded as a pivotal development in the history of computing?

Accepted Answer

It marked the beginning of modern digital computing as we know it

Answer

It was the first computer to use a mouse as an input device

Answer

It pioneered the development of the first comprehensive operating system

Answer

It introduced the concept of the internet and global connectivity

Question 38

Summarize the enduring legacy of the Manchester Baby, highlighting its lasting impact on the field of computing.

Accepted Answer

It encompassed all of the above, shaping multiple aspects of computing as we know it

Answer

It paved the way for the development of personal computers, shaping our modern digital world

Answer

It laid the foundation for the creation of the World Wide Web, revolutionizing global communication

Answer

It inspired the development of artificial intelligence, opening new frontiers in computing

Question 39

How did the Manchester Baby's innovation contribute to the advancement of scientific computing?

Accepted Answer

Enabled extensive numerical calculations

Answer

Allowed for immediate data visualization

Answer

Introduced cloud computing capabilities

Question 40

In what way did the Manchester Baby advance the development of compilers, essential tools in modern computing?

Accepted Answer

It proved the feasibility of storing data and instructions together in memory, enabling compilers to generate efficient machine code.

Answer

It introduced high-level programming languages, simplifying coding and compilation.

Answer

It served as a platform for testing compiler algorithms, aiding their refinement and optimization.

Question 41

Who led the team that developed the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Frederic Calland Williams

Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

John von Neumann

Question 42

What was the groundbreaking innovation introduced by the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Storing programs in its memory

Answer

Using a graphical user interface

Answer

Implementing a high-level programming language

Answer

Supporting multiple simultaneous users

Question 43

What kind of memory technology did the Manchester Baby employ?

Accepted Answer

Williams-Kilburn tube

Answer

Magnetic tape

Answer

Punch cards

Answer

Transistors

Question 44

Which simplified instruction set architecture (ISA) did the Manchester Baby implement?

Accepted Answer

A simplified version of the EDVAC ISA

Answer

x86 architecture

Answer

ARM architecture

Answer

MIPS architecture

Question 45

What was the profound impact of the Manchester Baby on the development of modern computing?

Accepted Answer

It paved the way for the von Neumann architecture

Answer

It popularized the use of high-level programming languages

Answer

It led to the development of transistor-based computers

Answer

It established the concept of cloud computing

Question 46

Which defining characteristic distinguishes stored-program computers?

Accepted Answer

Instructions and data are stored in the same memory

Answer

Programs are loaded from external devices

Answer

The CPU executes instructions sequentially

Answer

They can perform only simple calculations

Question 47

What was the groundbreaking innovation introduced by the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

It was the first computer to store programs in its memory.

Answer

It was the first computer to use a graphical user interface.

Answer

It was the first computer to be used for commercial purposes.

Question 48

Who were the primary developers responsible for the creation of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

F. C. Williams, Tom Kilburn, and Geoff Tootill

Answer

Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and Grace Hopper

Answer

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak

Answer

Alan Turing, John von Neumann, and Claude Shannon

Question 49

What was the primary objective of the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

To test the feasibility of stored-program computing.

Answer

To perform complex mathematical calculations.

Answer

To run business applications.

Answer

To play video games.

Question 50

Which memory technology was employed in the Manchester Baby?

Accepted Answer

Williams-Kilburn tube

Answer

Transistor-based memory

Answer

Magnetic tape

Answer

Punched cards

Question 51

What is the significance of the Manchester Baby's architectural design?

Accepted Answer

It laid the foundation for the basic architecture of modern computers.

Answer

It had no influence on the development of subsequent computers.

Answer

It utilized a complex and unique design.

Question 52

In what way did the Manchester Baby contribute to the advancement of software?

Accepted Answer

It enabled the development and testing of early software programs.

Answer

It hindered the development of software.

Answer

It had no impact on software development.

Question 53

What was the enduring legacy of the Manchester Baby? How did it shape the development of modern computing?

Accepted Answer

It paved the way for the development of faster, more powerful, and more versatile computers.

Answer

It was quickly surpassed and forgotten.

Answer

It had no significant impact on the development of modern computing.