Blaise Pascal was kept from studying mathematics until he was 15, yet he made lasting contributions in several fields. Which invention is credited to him?
AThe first mercury barometer tube
BThe first practical steam engine
CThe first mechanical digital calculator
DThe first hydraulic braking system
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. The first mechanical digital calculator
1. Pascal contributed to probability theory, number theory and geometry as well as to fluid statics.
2. He is also well known as the inventor of the first mechanical digital calculator.
3. Hydraulic brakes are an application of his principle but came much later and are not credited to him.
4. The barometer and the steam engine are the work of others and are not attributed to Pascal.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 11 "Fluid Statics", section 11.5 Pascal's Principle_
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