The document discusses the key components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory, storage devices, input/output devices, and software. It explains that a computer processes data through input, processing, storage, and output operations to convert it into useful information. The core parts that enable these functions are the hardware components like the motherboard, processor, memory, and I/O devices as well as software programs like the operating system and applications.
The document discusses the key components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory, storage devices, input/output devices, and software. It explains that a computer processes data through input, processing, storage, and output operations to convert it into useful information. The core parts that enable these functions are the hardware components like the motherboard, processor, memory, and I/O devices as well as software programs like the operating system and applications.
The document discusses the key components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory, storage devices, input/output devices, and software. It explains that a computer processes data through input, processing, storage, and output operations to convert it into useful information. The core parts that enable these functions are the hardware components like the motherboard, processor, memory, and I/O devices as well as software programs like the operating system and applications.
The document discusses the key components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory, storage devices, input/output devices, and software. It explains that a computer processes data through input, processing, storage, and output operations to convert it into useful information. The core parts that enable these functions are the hardware components like the motherboard, processor, memory, and I/O devices as well as software programs like the operating system and applications.
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Todays Goal
• Parts of Computer System
• Hardware • Software Purpose of a Computer
The purpose of a computer is to process data
into information. Data
Data consists of the raw facts and figures that are
processed into information. For example, the votes for different candidates being elected to student-government office. Information
Information is data that has been summarized or
otherwise manipulated for use in decision making. for example, the total votes for each candidate, which are used to decide who won. Difference Between Hardware & Software
• Hardware consists of all the machinery and
equipment in a computer system. • Software, or programs, consists of all the instructions that tell the computer how to perform a task. Operations of Computer System • Input: You input data into the computer, using a keyboard, mouse, or other device (such as a scanner, microphone, camera, or video camera). The input data may be text, numbers, images and/or sounds. • Processing is the manipulation a computer does to transform data into information. When the computer adds 2 + 2 to get 4, that is the act of processing. The processing is done by the central processing unit — frequently just called the CPU —a device consisting of electronic circuitry that executes instructions to process data. Operations of Computer System • Storage: Primary storage, or memory, is the internal computer circuitry that temporarily holds data waiting to be processed. Secondary storage , simply called storage, refers to the devices that store data or information permanently. • Output operation: Output is whatever is output from (“put out of”) the computer system—the results of processing, usually information. Examples of output are numbers or pictures displayed on a screen, words printed out on paper by a printer, or music piped over some loudspeakers. Operations of Computer System • Communications operation: These days, most computers have communications ability, which offers an extension capability—in other words, it extends the power of the computer. Parts of Computer System • Input: scanner, microphone, camera, or video camera • Processing: CPU • Storage: hard disk or CD/DVD • Output: monitor, speakers, printer • Communications: modem Input Hardware: Keyboard & Mouse • A keyboard is an input device that converts letters, numbers, and other characters into electrical signals readable by the processor. • A mouse is a non-keyboard input device (“pointing device”) that is used to manipulate objects viewed on the computer display screen. Case & Power Supply • Also known as the system unit , the case or system cabinet is the box that houses the processor chip (CPU), the memory chips, and the motherboard with power supply, as well as some secondary- storage devices • It includes a power supply unit and a fan to keep the circuitry from overheating. Processor Chip • A processor chip (CPU, for central processing unit) is a tiny piece of silicon that contains millions of small electronic circuits. Memory Chips • Memory chips , also known as RAM (random access memory) chips, represent primary storage, or temporary storage; they hold data before processing and information after processing, before it is sent along to an output or storage device. Motherboard • Also called the system board, the motherboard is the main circuit board in the computer. • This is the big green circuit board to which everything else— such as the keyboard, mouse, and printer— attaches through connections (called ports ) in the back of the computer. • The processor chip and memory chips are also installed on the motherboard. • The motherboard has expansion slots • For expanding the PC’s capabilities—which give you places to plug in additional circuit boards, such as those for video, sound, and communications (modem). Storage Hardware: Hard Drive & CD/DVD Drive • Secondary storage, or permanent storage, stores your data for as long as you want. • Hard drive and a CD/DVD drive. • Computer system’s data/information storage capacity is represented by bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, and petabytes. • 1 byte = 1 character of data (A character can be alphabetic—A, B, or C —or numeric—1, 2, or 3—or a special character—!, ?, *, $, %.) 1 kilobyte =1,024 characters 1 megabyte =1,048,576 characters 1 gigabyte =more than 1 billion characters 1 terabyte =more than 1 trillion characters 1 petabye = about 1 quadrillion characters Floppy-disk Drive • A floppy-disk drive is a storage device that stores data on removable 3.5-inchdiameter diskettes. • These diskettes, which are now used mostly on fairly old microcomputer systems, don’t seem to be “floppy,” because they are encased in hard plastic, but the mylar disk inside is indeed flexible or floppy. • Each can store 1.44 million bytes (characters) or more of data. Hard-disk Drive
• A hard-disk drive is a storage device that stores
billions of characters of data on a non-removable disk platter. Cd/Dvd Drive • A CD (compact-disk) drive , or its more recent variant, a DVD (digital video-disk) drive , is a storage device that uses laser technology to read data from optical disks. Output Hardware: Video & Sound Cards, Monitor, Speakers, & Printer
• Output device is any component or piece of
equipment that expands a computer’s input, storage, and output capabilities. Video Card • A video card converts the processor’s output information into a video signal that can be sent through a cable to the monitor. • Your video card is plugged into one of the expansion slot on the motherboard. Sound Card
• Sound card which enhances the computer’s sound
generating capabilities by allowing sound to be output through speakers. Monitor
• The monitor is the display device that takes the
electrical signals from the video card and forms an image using points of colored light on the screen. Pair Of Speakers
• Speakers are the devices that play sounds
transmitted as electrical signals from the sound card. Printer
• An output device that produces text and graphics
on paper. Communications Hardware: Modem
• A standard modem is a device that sends and
receives data over telephone lines to and from computers. Software • System software helps the computer perform essential operating tasks and enables the application software to run. • System software consists of several electronically coded programs. • The most important is the operating system, the master control program that runs the computer. • Examples of operating system software for the PC are various Microsoft programs (such as Windows 95, 98, XP, Vista, and 7), Unix, and Linux. Application Software • Application software enables you to perform specific tasks—solve problems, perform work, or entertain yourself. • For example, when you prepare a paper on your computer, you will use a word processing program. (Microsoft Word is an example.) The Information Processing Cycle • A computer converts data into information by performing various actions on the data. • For example, a computer might perform a mathematical operation on two numbers, then display the result. • These operations are part of a process called the information processing cycle, which is a set of steps the computer follows to receive data, process the data according to instructions from a program, display the resulting information to the user, and store the results. The Information Processing Cycle • The information processing cycle has four parts. • Input • Processing • Output • Storage