A mechanical calculator is a device designed to perform mathematical calculations using mechanical components rather than electronic ones. These calculators often use gears, levers, and other physical mechanisms to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers. They were widely used before the advent of electronic calculators and computers. One of the earliest and most famous mechanical calculators is the Pascaline, invented by Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. Mechanical calculators paved the way for modern computing devices, showcasing the principles of automation and mechanical engineering in solving arithmetic problems.