"Computing" is a field that involves the study of algorithmic processes and hardware. The first computer programmer is considered to be Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who worked on Charles Babbage's analytical engine.
Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?
A field that involves the study of algorithmic processes, "computing" is the field of Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who worked on the analytical engine.
During the work on the analytical engine—when Ada Lovelace, a mathematician, lived—"computing," a field involving algorithmic processes, was discovered.
The first programmer in "computing," a field involving the study of algorithmic processes, is considered to be Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who worked on the analytical engine.
Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who worked on the analytical engine, is considered the first programmer in "computing," a field involving the study of algorithmic processes.
Correct Answer: D
Choice D is the best answer. It places Ada Lovelace as the subject and uses an appositive to define "computing," linking the person to the field logically.
Choice A is incorrect because the phrasing "computing is the field of Ada Lovelace" is vague and imprecise. Choice B is incorrect because the timeline and relationship between the person and the field are muddled. Choice C is incorrect because it separates the subject "The first programmer" from the name "Ada Lovelace" with a long, interrupting definition.