I didn’t know what a Leibniz calculating machine was.
I had no idea what was in store for me.
At first it wasn’t easy to understand.
But then we even got a grasp of the tens carry mechanism.
We learned something new.
These are pupils of Herschelschule,
a Hanover grammar school.
All of them are gifted
and very much into science and maths.
They wouldn’t be here otherwise.
Today we look into Leibniz’s four operations machine,
which could perform all 4 basic arithmetic operations.
Leibniz lived during the early Enlightenment.
At this time, mechanical calculation was in high demand.
Business meant juggling a lot of numbers.
This was Leibniz’s driving force.
I showed the pupils why and how this machine works.
We want to multiply 345,679 by 9.
We set the digits on the input section
and lock it.
Now we turn magna rota crank nine times.
Clockwise.
Explaining the function doesn’t work without asking why.
Why does this work?
Starting with the place-value system.
The function has to be explained to a certain degree.
Pupils have to work it out for themselves.
Knowing how to do something isn’t enough.
They should also ask why.
I’m glad to see how following the complex mindset
of 300 years ago has influenced them.
Young people should not only appreciate modern technology,
but also learn about the astounding feats performed many centuries ago.
This gives them a better understanding of the past
and makes history come alive.