Chapter 2 - INFO 160 (Understanding Your Computer)

1977

- Apple II: 1. Game paddles 2. Sound 3. Colour Monitor 4. Read only memory - Commodore PET - TRS-80

How do computers process data into information?

- Computers need to work in a language they understand called BINARY LANGUAGE: consists of just TWO DIGITS: 0 and 1. - Everything a computer does, such as PROCESSING DATA, PRINTING A FILE, or EDITING A PHOTO, is broken down into a series of 0s and 1s. - Each 0 and 1 is a BINARY DIGIT, OR BIT (abbreviation) for short. BIT: A digit that corresponds to the on and off states of a computer's switches. A bit contains a value of either 0 or 1 - Eight binary digits combine to create one BYTE (Eight binary digits) - In computers, each letter of the alphabet, each number, each special character (such as @) consists of a unique combination of eight bits, or a string of eight 0s and 1s

How does a computer keep track of bits and bytes?

- Computers understand only two states of existence: on and off. - Inside a computer, these two states are defined using the numbers 1 and 0 - Electrical switches are the devices inside the computer that are flipped between the two states of 1 and 0, signifying on and off - These on/ off switches are combined in different ways to perform addition and subtraction and to move data around the system

What types of switches does a computer use?

- Early computers used TRANSISTORS. Transistors are electrical switches built of layers of a special type of material called SEMICONDUCTOR. - A semiconductor is any material that can be controlled either to conduct electricity or act as an insulator (to prohibit electricity from passing through) - Silicon, which is found in sand, is the semiconductor material used to make transistors - Silicon doesn't conduct electricity particularly well, but if specific chemicals are added in a controlled way to the silicon, it behaves like an on/off switch. - The silicon allows electric current to flow when a certain voltage is applied; otherwise, it prevents electric current from flowing

Exploring Base Conversion

- Humans use decimal (Base 10 numbers) - Computers use binary (Base 2) - Hexadecimal (Base 16) numbers are used to represent large numbers with fewer digits

What are integrated circuits (Chips) ?

- Tiny regions of semiconductor material that support a huge number of transistors. - No more than a quarter inch in size yet can hold billions of transistors

The digit to the far right in any based system always has a place value of

1

Conversion in Action

1. Colours on computer display are represented using a red, green, and blue (RGB) system. 2. Each of the three colours can have a value from 0 to 225 3. The higher the number, the brighter the light for that color shines

Base Systems

1. Each base system depends on place value to give meaning to the digits in a number 2. A 3-digit decimal number has a hundreds (Based 10 to the power of 2), tens ( base 10 to the power of 1) and ones (based 10 to the power of 0) place. 3. A 3-digit hexadecimal number has a two hundred fifty sixes ( 16 to the power of 2), sixteens (16 to the power of 2) , and ones (16 to the power of 0) place.

Types of switches

1. Electrical swtich - A light switch is either on, allowing current to flow to the light bulb, or off 2. Binary switch - A water faucet : Shutting off the faucet could represent the value 0, where as turning it on could represent the value 1

What is the difference between data and information?

1. In computer terms, DATA is a representation of a FACT, DATA, OR AN IDEA. Data can be a NUMBER, A WORD, A PICTURE, OR even a RECORDING OF A SOUND Examples: the number 7173733 and the names Zoe and Richardson are pieces of data 2. INFORMATION is data that has been ORGANIZED or PRESENTED in a meaningful fashion Examples: when your computer provides you with a contact listing that indicates that Zoe Richardson can be reached at (713) 555-3297

Four functions of a computer

1. Input - It gathers data or allows users to enter data 2. Process - it manipulates, calculates, or organizes the data into information 3. Output - It displays data and information in a form suitable for the user 4. Storage - It saves data and information for later use

Central Processing Unit (CPU or processor)

1. The part of the system unit of a computer that is responsible for data processing; it is the largest and most important chip in the computer. 2. The CPU controls all the functions performed by the computer's other components and processes all the commands issued to it by software instructions 3. The CPU can be considered the "brains" of the computer, since this is where the processing of data into information takes place

1975

Altair 8800: 1. No Keyboard 2. No monitor 3. Not user Friendly Apple 1

Microprocessors

Are the chips that contain a central processing unit

How do computers interact with data and information?

Computers are excellent at processing (MANIPULATING, CALCULATING OR ORGANIZING) data into information. Input data > Processing data into information > Output information

Binary Basics

Every kind of information a computer can store is enconded into a binary code a computer can also read the binary code and output alpha-numeric characteristics, graphics, and more

What else can bits and bytes be used for?

Not only are bits and bytes used as the language that tells the computer what to do They are used to represent the quantity p

Define computer

a data processing device that performs four major functions