What mathematician wrote the first computer algorithm in 1843, before computers existed?

Ada Lovelace, born Augusta Ada Byron, is widely recognized for writing the first computer algorithm in 1843, long before electronic computers even existed. Her groundbreaking work was in collaboration with Charles Babbage, who conceived of the Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer. While Babbage designed the machine, it was Lovelace who truly grasped its potential beyond simple arithmetic calculations.

Lovelace's significant contribution came when she translated an Italian article about Babbage's Analytical Engine. To this translation, she added extensive notes, which were three times longer than the original article itself. In these notes, particularly in what is known as "Note G," she detailed a precise, step-by-step method for the Analytical Engine to compute Bernoulli numbers. This sequence of operations, designed specifically for a machine to execute a complex calculation, is considered the world's first computer program.

Her genius lay not just in creating the algorithm, but in her visionary understanding that the Analytical Engine could manipulate symbols beyond mere numbers. Lovelace envisioned that such a machine could be used for tasks like composing music or generating complex graphics, foreshadowing the broad applications of modern computing. This insight into the machine's capacity to process more than just numerical data marked a fundamental shift from calculation to what we now understand as computation, cementing her legacy as a pioneer in computer science.