A 'human computer' dies at age 83.

An Indian woman famous for her ability to calculate large numbers in her head has passed away at age 83.
Shakuntala Devi became known as the human computer when she beat a Univac computer in 1977 in calculating the 23rd root of a 201 digit number.

The calculation took Devi 50 seconds, and the computer took 62 seconds.

She is in the Guinness Book of World Records for multiplying two 13 digit numbers in 28 seconds, which includes the time it took for her to say the answer.

She performed her mathematical feats for television, radio, and live audiences at Universities throughout her life.

Devi reportedly had remarkable abilities; for example: “If you gave her any date in the last century, she would tell you what day of the week it fell on.”

There have been several famous mathematicians who could do calculations in their head.

Scott Flansburg got his name in the Guinness Book of World Records by being able to add a number to itself more times in 15 seconds than someone using a calculator.