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PSAT Reading and Writing · Question of the Day

PSAT Reading and Writing Question of the Day

A fresh daily question to build accuracy, reinforce recall, and turn practice into a steady habit.
Friday, August 7, 2026

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

  • Ada Lovelace wrote notes in 1843 describing an algorithm for Bernoulli numbers.
  • Her notes commented on Charles Babbage's proposed Analytical Engine, a general-purpose machine.
  • Lovelace argued the Engine could manipulate symbols, not only calculate numbers.
  • Babbage never completed the Analytical Engine during his lifetime.
  • Lovelace was the daughter of poet Lord Byron and received advanced mathematics tutoring.
  • The programming language Ada was named in her honor in 1979. The student wants to highlight Lovelace's early vision of programmable, general-purpose computing. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?​

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Question of the Day

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While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

  • Ada Lovelace wrote notes in 1843 describing an algorithm for Bernoulli numbers.
  • Her notes commented on Charles Babbage's proposed Analytical Engine, a general-purpose machine.
  • Lovelace argued the Engine could manipulate symbols, not only calculate numbers.
  • Babbage never completed the Analytical Engine during his lifetime.
  • Lovelace was the daughter of poet Lord Byron and received advanced mathematics tutoring.
  • The programming language Ada was named in her honor in 1979. The student wants to highlight Lovelace's early vision of programmable, general-purpose computing. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?​
  1. In 1843, Ada Lovelace's notes on Babbage's Analytical Engine included an algorithm for Bernoulli numbers and argued the machine could manipulate symbols, reflecting an early vision of general-purpose, programmable computing. (correct answer)
  2. Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron, received advanced mathematics tutoring, and in 1979 the programming language Ada was named in her honor to recognize her role in computing history.
  3. Charles Babbage proposed the Analytical Engine but never completed it, and Ada Lovelace's 1843 notes discussed the project while also describing her personal background and education in mathematics.
  4. In 1979, a programming language was named Ada, and Babbage's Analytical Engine was a proposed general-purpose machine, showing that nineteenth-century ideas continued to influence later computing developments.

Explanation: To highlight Lovelace's early vision of programmable, general-purpose computing, the answer must emphasize her conceptual insights about computing capabilities. The correct answer combines information from bullets 1 and 3, explaining how Lovelace's 1843 notes included an algorithm for Bernoulli numbers and argued the Analytical Engine could manipulate symbols, reflecting an early vision of general-purpose, programmable computing. Choice B mentions her background and the programming language honor but doesn't address her vision of computing capabilities. When highlighting someone's vision or ideas, focus on their specific conceptual contributions rather than biographical details.