Pascal's calculating machine, also known as the Pascaline, was useful in performing addition and subtraction operations.
The Pascaline was one of the earliest mechanical calculators, designed by the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. It was a simple machine consisting of a series of gears and wheels, which could be used to add and subtract numbers.
The user would enter a number by turning the wheels, and then perform the calculation by turning a crank. The result would be displayed in a window on the machine.
Although the Pascaline was limited to addition and subtraction, it was a significant development in the history of computing. It paved the way for later calculators and computers, and demonstrated the potential for machines to automate mathematical calculations.