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Biography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. Shares the story of the pioneering African American mathematician, Katherine Johnson, who helped calculate America's first manned flight into space, its first manned orbit of Earth, and the world's first trip to the moon.

"The story of Katherine Johnson, an African American mathematician whose work was critical to the first US space flight"-- Provided by publisher.

"From a very young age, Katherine Johnson counted everything--thenumber of dirty dishes she'd washed, the steps she walked to church, and even the number of leaves on the trees. By 1928, she was so intelligent and skilled at math that she was able to skip several grades and start high school at age ten. And while Katherine had to dealwith racism, segregation, and prejudice throughout her life, she did not let this hold her back from becoming a mathematician....

"NASA computer scientist Katherine Johnson and her two daughters tell the story of how she overcame racial barriers to play an integral role during the American space program's early days"-- Provided by publisher.

Examines the life of mathematician Katherine Johnson, from her early education and career before working for NASA to her integral role in the space program.

At one point, the word "computer" referred to the people who used their knowledge, pencils, adding machines and paper to calculate complex equations needed for space travel. As one of these mathematicians at NACA's Langley laboratory, Katherine Johnson's skills were in high demand and she was trusted by administrators and astronauts alike to be accurate and reliable.