Katherine Johnson loved math. Early in her career, she was called a “computer.” She helped NASA put an astronaut into orbit around Earth. And then she helped put a man on the Moon.
What Was Katherine Johnson’s Early Life Like?
As a young girl, Katherine loved to count. She counted everything. She would count the number of steps she took to the road. She counted the steps into church. She even counted the forks and plates when she washed the dishes.
Katherine loved to learn. She loved learning math the most. Katherine went through school quickly. She started high school when she was just 10 years old!
When she was 15, Katherine began college. She took classes to become a mathematician. That is someone who is an expert in math. She learned how to solve big problems by using math, especially geometry. Geometry is a kind of math that uses lines, shapes and angles. Katherine studied hard. She graduated from college when she was 18.
