What did ENIAC primarily calculate?

ENIAC, or the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, was primarily designed to calculate artillery firing tables for the U.S. Army during World War II. These tables were crucial for ensuring that artillery shells hit their intended targets, which required complex calculations involving projectile trajectories, distances, and various environmental factors.

The specific requirements of calculating firing tables included handling a vast number of variables and performing rapid computations, which ENIAC was capable of due to its electronic architecture, enabling it to process information much faster than previous mechanical systems. While ENIAC could have been utilized for other types of calculations—such as finance models, statistical data, or geometric calculations—its primary mission and most significant contributions were indeed in the realm of military applications, particularly in support of artillery operations. Therefore, the association with artillery firing tables is a key factor in recognizing ENIAC's historical significance and purpose.