Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1-1

What is a Computer?

Computer Basics

• describe the 4 operations of computers

• contrast analog and digital computers

• explain why data and instructions for computers are coded as 0s and 1s

• identify 3 benefits of computers​

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Objectives

Open Ended

What images spring to mind when you hear the word 'computer'?

Computer Basics

A computer is a machine that changes information from one form into another by performing four basic actions: input, processing, output, and storage.

There are 2 kinds of computers

• Analog computers measure data on a scale with many values

• Digital computers work with data that has a fixed value. ​They use data in digital, or number, form.

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

A computer changes information from one form to another by performing ____ basic actions.

• 2

• 4

• 6

• 8

Multiple Choice

This kind of computer works with data that has a fixed value.

• Analog

• Digital

Input

• Input is the raw information, or data, that is entered into a computer

• data is entered in a coded language; the building blocks of this language are called bits (short for binary digit)

• each bit is a number (1 or 0)

• bits are combined into groups of 8 or more (called a byte)

• each letter equals 1 byte

Multiple Choice

Bit is short for binary digit.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Each letter equals 8 bytes.

• True

• False

Processing

• in processing, the computer does something to the data

• what the computer does depends on the instructions, or programs, given to the computers

• the program is also written in binary code

• computers can process data very rapidly; performing millions of operations every second​

Multiple Choice

Computer programs are written in genetic code.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Computers can process data very rapidly.

• True

• False

Output

• output shows what happens after the computer processes the data

• to create output, the computer takes the bytes and turns them back into a form you can understand, such as an image or a printed document

• output can take many forms

  • reports

  • images

  • sounds​

Multiple Choice

Output can take many forms.

• True

• False

Storage

• storage is where the computer saves the information

• computers have a temporary memory that is used during the processing stage

• when the computer is turned off, however, any data in that temporary memory is lost

• by storing the data in a permanent form, you can access the information over and over​

Multiple Choice

When the computer is turned off, any data in temporary storage will be saved for next time.

• True

• False