Computers and computer systems

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Computers and processors are ubiquitous in everyday life, and they're not only found in...

Computers and processors are ubiquitous in everyday life, and they're not only found in your PC. This unit introduces the different parts of computer systems and their use of binary code. Using the examples of kitchen scales, a digital camera and a computer artwork the unit, with the help of flowcharts, discusses how computers process data and instructions .

After studying this unit you will:

• know what all the terms highlighted in bold in the text mean;
• know the fundamental hardware components that make up a computer’s hardware and the role of each of these components;
• know the difference between an operating system and an application program, and what each is used for in a computer;
• be able to describe some examples of computers and state the effect that the use of computer technology has had on some common products;
• be able to identify the principal components of a given computer system and draw a diagram after the style of Figures 6 and 12 in this unit to represent the data flows between them.