Q3 Tech Terms 7th Grade

How BOTH Memory and Storage are Measured

Byte - the basic unit used to measure file size and memory. One byte is equal to one character of data (ie. 1 letter, number, etc.) Kilobyte, KB or K - roughly 1,000 bytes, exactly 1,024 bytes Many computer files are measured in KB. For example, these terms are about 280 KB. megabyte , MB or meg - roughly 1,000 kilobytes or 1 million bytes, exactly 1,024 kilobytes. A CD can hold up to 700 MB. Gigabyte, GB or gig - roughly 1,000 megabytes, 1 million kilobytes or 1 billion bytes, exactly 1,024 megabytes. A typical flash drive will hold 4-12GB. A DVD will hold 4GB. A typical laptop today might have 4-12GB of RAM. A typical personal computer today will have a hard drive of 500GB or 1TB of storage. Terabyte, TB - roughly 1,000 gigabytes, 1 million megabytes, 1 billion kilobytes, or 1 trillion bytes, exactly 1,024 gigabytes.

Memory Characteristics

Memory is the temporary working area used by computers to do their work. Memory dumps everything when you turn your computer off. Memory is much faster than hard drives or other forms of storage because it is just silicon with no mechanical parts. The electrons can flow much faster through the memory circuits than they can through the mechanical parts and circuits of a hard drive. Examples of memory in RAM and ROM (see below).

Types of Memory

ROM - Read Only Memory, the hard wired instructions the computer uses when it boots up, before the operating system loads. (This type of memory doesn't go away unless it loses all sources of power, including the system battery on the motherboard.) RAM - Random Access Memory, a high speed type of memory the computer needs to store active programs and data (software being used) and system processes (the operating system). This is where the calculations are processed and are stored temporarily. Any data in RAM is lost in the event of the computer being turned off. (unless the data has been stored somewhere permanently).

RAM

Random Access Memory, a high speed type of memory the computer needs to store active programs and data (software being used) and system processes (the operating system). This is where the calculations are processed and are stored temporarily. Any data in RAM is lost in the event of the computer being turned off. (unless the data has been stored somewhere permanently)

ROM

Read Only Memory, the hard wired instructions the computer uses when it boots up, before the operating system loads. (This type of memory doesn't go away unless it loses all sources of power, including the system battery on the motherboard.)

Storage

Storage is the persistent data that is located in the computer. The information in storage stays there even after the computer is turned off. Computers store data in a digital format, which means the information can always be called up exactly the way it was stored and normally doesn't get worse over time. Hard drives or other forms of storage are much slower than memory because moving parts are always involved, which slow down the flow of electrons. Examples of storage include Hard Drives, Flash Drives, CDs, DVDs, SD cards, etc.

Kilobyte, KB or K

roughly 1,000 bytes, exactly 1,024 bytes Many computer files are measured in KB. For example, these terms are about 280 KB.

Terabyte, TB

roughly 1,000 gigabytes, 1 million megabytes, 1 billion kilobytes, or 1 trillion bytes, exactly 1,024 gigabytes.

megabyte , MB or meg

roughly 1,000 kilobytes or 1 million bytes, exactly 1,024 kilobytes. A CD can hold up to 700 MB.

Gigabyte, GB or gig

roughly 1,000 megabytes, 1 million kilobytes or 1 billion bytes, exactly 1,024 megabytes. A typical flash drive will hold 4-12GB. A DVD will hold 4GB. A typical laptop today might have 4-12GB of RAM. A typical personal computer today will have a hard drive of 500GB or 1TB of storage.

Byte

the basic unit used to measure file size and memory. One byte is equal to one character of data (ie. 1 letter, number, etc.)