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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What machine was constructed by Charles Babbage?

2. What did a young mathematician named Kurt Gödel conclude about conflicting statements?

3. In his graduate paper, to what did Claude Shannon apply the binary logic of George Boole?

4. What was the intent of the Principia Mathematica?

5. What was changing language at the time the first English dictionary was developed?

Short Essay Questions

1. How was binary code of 0s and 1s which is the foundation for computing first conceived and by whom?

2. What did Claude Shannon create from examining the statistical makeup of the English language?

3. After the use of pictures, what were the next two stages of language development?

4. Who was Claude Shannon?

5. While Shannon worked on secret cryptography projects for the US government during World War II, what theory about information did he conceive?

6. What were the two stages of a "bit" as conceived by Claude Shannon?

7. While working on plans for this "analytical engine," Babbage struck an acquaintance with what young woman?

8. In modern times, what innovation has had the most impact on language?

9. What advanced form of communication was beginning to emerge in the 1840s?

10. Who invented the "first" telegraph?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is the year 1948 considered a huge turning point in information theory and technology? What advances were made by researchers at Bell Laboratories during this time frame?

Essay Topic 2

What advanced machine did Charles Babbage envision that would be superior to his difference engine? What was Babbage's relationship with Ada Lovelace? Why was she reluctant to be public about her skills in mathematics? How did Babbage encourage her?

Essay Topic 3

What were early theories about genetics? What are genes? What were the opinions and theories on genes expressed by zoologist Richard Dawson in his book, "The Selfish Gene"?

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