A tabulating machine is a device used to automatically sort and process data, often through punched cards. It was developed in the late 19th century and became widely used for tasks like census data processing and business record keeping. The machine reads the holes in the cards to perform calculations and generate reports. One of the most notable early tabulating machines was created by Herman Hollerith, who founded the company that later became part of IBM. These machines significantly improved the speed and accuracy of data processing, laying the groundwork for modern computing technology.