COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING

Section 1

What is Information technology?

Information technology (IT) can be described as the use of computers, storage, communication and other physical devices to create, process and exchange all forms of electronic data

Information technology (IT) involves using computers, storage, communication, and other devices to create, process, and share electronic data.

The term used to refer to using equipment to create, process and share electronic data

The use of technology to process data into useful information

Name the THREE fields of study that IT merges

Computer Science, ICT - Information and Communications Technology, and OA -Office Automation

What is a computer system?

The complete installation of hardware, software, users, procedures and data

What is a computer?

A device that accepts digital input, processes it based on a set of instructions and produces a useful result (information)

List the 5 types of computers in order of processing speed and size (Descending)

1. Supercomputer - Cray

2. Mainframe - IBM zEnterprise system, Unisys and Fujitsu

3. Desktop

4. Personal Computer/Mobile Devices - laptops, phones, laptops

5. Embedded Systems - controllers in microwaves, car ignition systems, gps in cars

What is a supercomputer used for?

• Weather forecasting (Caribbean Hurricane Network)

• Code breaking (cryptoanalysis)

• Physical Simulations

• Climate research

• Gas exploration

What are advantages and disadvantages or supercomputers?

Advantages: processes large inputs of data within short amounts of time

Disadvantages: extremely expensive, require secure and clime-controlled buildings

What is a mainframe computer used for?

• processing transactions related to logistics (tracking, billing, delivery, etc)'

• national and international payments and transactions (credit card transaction processing)

• processing e-commerce transactions (online purchase)

What are advantages and disadvantages of mainframe computers?

Advantages: has a large storage capacity, has a fast CPU, are reliable

Disadvantages:purchase and maintenance of mainframes are expensive, needs highly skilled IT personnel for operation and maintenance, consume significant electricity and generate a lot of heat.

What is a desktop computer used for?

A desktop system is used for common business tasks (sending emails, booking a ticket, surfing the internet, watching youtube videos, playing games)

What are advantages and disadvantages of desktop computers?

advantages: affordable, small enough to fit on a desk, less heat build up

disadvantages: not portable, setup can be complicated and involve many wires, needs external power

What are advantages and disadvantages of mobile devices?

advantages: portable, compact, support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data, enabling constant internet access and device pairing on the go, touchscreens offer a simple and intuitive way to interact with apps and features, they run on rechargeable batteries, making them usable without needing to be plugged into power constantly

disadvantages: relatively small screen, easier to lose or damage, battery life issues, limited processing power

Examples of embedded devices are:

1. Controllers in microwaves

2. GPS in cars

3. Ignition Systems in motor vehicles

4. Sensors in Industrial Systems

What is general-purpose computers and one example?

A general-purpose computer is one that is made to carry out a variety of tasks

What is a special-purpse computer and one example?

A special purpose software is made to specifically carry out a designated task.

What is hardware?

Hardware refers to the physical components of the computer system. Hardware carries out the IPOS cycle

Give 2 examples of an input device.

Mouse, Keyboard, Sensors, Microphone, Webcam

Give an example of a processing device.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)/Microprocessor

Give 2 examples of output devices.

Visual Display Unit, Speakers, Headphones

What is the CPU of a computer and state 2 of its functions?

The CPU/processor is the brains of the computer and comprises of the Control Unit (CU) and Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU).

It fetches program instructions stored in memory and executes instructions (logical and arithmetical)

What is the primary storage or main memory of a computer?

Primary storage in a computer/Main memory refers to the memory that is slotted into the motherboard of the computer. Its variants are RAM and ROM

What is ROM?

Read-Only Memory. It is a type of main memory that stores permanent data.

What is RAM?

Random access memory. It is a type of main memory that stores temporary data/data that is in use.

State 2 differences between ROM and RAM

1. RAM is a form of volatile memory while ROM is non-volatile memory

• volatile - requires electricity

2. RAM stores temporary data while ROM stores permanent data

3. RAM functions at a faster speed than ROM

What are input devices?

Input devices accept data from the user

What are output devices?

Output devices give output or provide the user with information

What is ‘secondary storage’?

Secondary storage connects to a computers’ motherboard internally or externally. It is used to store data and programs permanently.

What is ‘backup’?

A copy of important files that can be used if the original files are lost. A range of storing technologies such as magnetic, optical and flash memory can be used to create backups

List 4 examples of secondary storage devices

Magnetic Tape, Optical Disks, USB Flash Drive, Memory Card Hard Disk

What are examples of devices that use magnetic technology to store data

Magnetic Tape, Hard Disk Drive, Floppy Disks

Describe the composition of a hard disk drive

It is a system of ceramic disks coated with magnetic material that can store data permanently. It has a set of read/write heads attached to a moveable arm that is used to transfer data from the disk.

Describe the composition of a magnetic tape

A long and narrow strip of plastic with a thin coating of magnetic material, rolled onto a reel and usually encase in a plastic housing. It is provided as a single-reel removable tape storage and read using a tape drive with a read head.

What is flash memory?

A small electronic device that maintains stored data without any external power source. It is referred to as ‘flash’ memory because the data can be erased or written in a flash

What are examples of devices that use flash memory to store data?

Flash Drive, Memory Card, Solid State Drive

True or False: SSDs are available as internal and external drives

True

Solid State drives are used as external storage for professionals such as:

1. film editors

2. graphic designers

3. photographers

State two uses of a Optical Disks

1. For backup

2. For data storage

3. To distribute off the shelf games, software and music

4. To store HD video (Blu-Ray & DVD)

What are examples of optical disks?

DVD, CD and Blu-Ray Discs

What is a bit?

A bit is a binary digit, taking the value of either 0 or 1

A byte is a collection of __ bits, referenced as a single unit. One byte is required to store a single character such as A,x or $

8

Convert 2,900,000 MB to Bytes

3,040,870,400,000 bytes

How many bytes are equal to a kilobyte

1024

What is the IPOS cycle?

The IPOS cycle is the Input, Process, Output, Storage Cycle. Every functioning computer system built on this idea.

What is ‘data’?

Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts that require context to become useful

What is information?

Information is the term given to data that has been processed to give it meaning / It is useful knowledge created from raw data.

What is cloud storage?

The storage of data on remote servers. This data can be accessed only via the Internet or cloud

What is local storage?

Any physical storage device directly connected, internally or externally to the computer system

Differentiate between cloud storage and local storage in terms of cost

Local storage has an initial purchase cost but there are no ongoing charges while Cloud storage suppliers usually charge a monthly fee per unit of storage

Therefore, cloud is more expensive

Differentiate between cloud storage and local storage in terms of accessibility

Differentiate between cloud storage and local storage in terms of security issues

Local storage requires the user’s physical access to the computer while the cloud can be accessed from any internet based computer device.

Differentiate between cloud storage and local storage in terms of capacity

Local storage is capacity is determined at the time of purchase and additional storage can always be added. However, the cloud storage capacity is much more flexible

How do local and cloud storage differ in security?

In terms of Local Storage, it must be ensured that some form of backup is in a storage device if it should fail, however cloud storage offers backup

Local storage can be made very secure against an unauthorised person. Cloud is encrypted over the internet, however, there is a greater chance of unauthorised acces

What is OCR?

Optical Character Recognition captures digital images and inputs it as text, diagrams and pictures. It is used in document scanning, automated data entry from hand-filled documents and the formation of e-books

What is OMR?

Optical Mark Reader recognizes the position of marks made on a hard copy document and converts them into meaningful data. It is used on lottery tickets and in the education sector when mass marking MCQ questions

What is MICR?

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition MICR is a technology used to read and process printed characters using magnetic ink. It is commonly used in the banking industry, especially for processing cheques.

List 2 devices that produce visual output

Monitors, Printers, Microfilm

List 3 types of printers

Dot-Matrix, Ink-Jet, Plotter, Laser, Thermal, 3d Printer

What types of tasks are dot-matrix printers suited for?

It is suitable for printing documents on thicker paper or card that would jam in a laser printer or inkjet printer

When is it suitable to use inkjet printer?

When the task requires colour printout where few pages are needed because cost per page is high

State one example of a document that a thermal printer is used to print

Receipts at ATMS/POS Systems or Fast-Food

What printer would be most suitable for printing Architectural Drawings?

Plotter

State 2 situations where you’d need audible output rather than visual output

1. Audio is a primary output for virtual assistants

2. The user has a visual impairment and relies on sound

3. The user is playing audio/video e.g. during computer gaming, watching videos

4. For providing emergency alerts

What is system software?

The category of software responsible for the operating and maintenance of the computer system. It comprises of the Operating System, System utilities and Language Translators.

What are the 6 roles of the operating system?

1. Resource Management - storage, input/devices

2. File Management - files and folders

3. Security Management - secure computing environment

4. User Interface - facilitates communication between user and computer

5. Memory Management - manages memory

6. Process Management - manage processor resources

What is a system utility?

A specialised program that assists in maintaining and improving the efficiency of a computer system

State 2 common utility programs and their functions

1. Backup - creates a spare copy of data and program files to protect them in case of loss

2. Disk defragmenter - organises files on the disk so that they can be accessed faster

3. Disk error checker - examines files, folders and surfaces of hard disk drive and repairs any faults found.

4. Disk cleanup - Clears a disk of unnecessary files

5. Antivirus - Checks for and removes viruses infecting the system.

What is application software?

The category of software that performs end user tasks, such as writing letters, managing records, performing calculations, creating a web page, adding filters to a photo, listening to music.

Application software may be regarded as ________________________ or _______________________ based on the types of tasks it performs

general-purpose software, special-purpose softaware

What is an integrated package?

An integrated package, also known as an integrated software package or suite, is a collection of related software applications bundled together into a single program

List 3 examples of software sources

Off the shelf

Custom-written

Customized

Differentiate between a customized and a custom-written software

A customized software is a modified/personalised version of a software that already exists For example, creating a set of template docs that include the company name and logo in a word processing program

A custom-written is a program that was built from scratch to fit the needs of the user

What is the ‘user interface’?

It is a combination of hardware and software that facilitates communication between the computer and the user

List 2 examples of hardware interfaces

Touch screens & Specialised keyboard

List the THREE software interfaces

1. Command Driven - interaction is done using a single line command of text

2. Menu-Driven - interaction is done by the user selecting from options presented in a list

3. Graphical User Interface - interaction is done using a pointing device (joystick, mouse, pen, etc). Contents are Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointer

Suggest one way to improve the performance of a computer system

It is often possible to improve performance by adding more main memory to a computer system by inserting extra memory modules into expansion slots on the computer’s main motherboard.

It is common for new computers to be delivered with a single, large-capacity hard disk drive installed (its secondary storage). The two main types of disk drives are:

• Solid State Drive (SSD)

• Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Suggest ONE advantage of using a SSD instead of a HDD

1. A SSD is very fast;faster than a HDD

2. It is robust (strong & durable); more robust than an HDD

Suggest ONE advantage of using a HDD instead of a SSD

A HDD is cheaper per gigabyte than a SSD

A HDD is available in high storage capacities than a SSD

List 3 things to consider when choosing a computer

1. Processing Speed

2. Memory

3. Secondary Storage

4. Types of Software

5. Input/Output Devices

What are the suggested specifications for applications such as web browsing, email and word processing

Intel i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 500GB hard disk drive

Suggest the main reason that one might choose an i5 processor instead of an i9 processor

When choosing a processor, cost is the main reason for choosing a lower-powered processor

An Intel ___ processor, 32GB of RAM and 3TB hard disk drive plus 512GB SSD is recommended for a gaming level computer

i9

List 2 steps in troubleshooting for a printer that wont print

1. Ensure the printer and the device are connected to the same Wi-fi (in case of wireless)

2. Ensure the printer has paper

3. Make sure the ink is sufficient to print the document

4. Make sure the printer is turned on/plugged in

List 2 steps in troubleshooting for a monitor that displays a black, blank screen

1. Ensure the monitor is plugged in

2. Ensure the power button is on

What is ‘data’?

Data is raw,unprocessed facts. This may be about persons, places, things or events that have been collected. Data requires processing to become useful

What is ‘information’?

Information is meaningful knowledge derived from raw data. It is data that has been processed, organised or put into context so that it is meaningful.

List 3 sources of data and information

people, places and things

Differentiate between a human-readable and a machine-readable document

A human-readable document can be read by a human but may not be in a form that a computer can automatically accept as input while A machine-readable document is a document that can be directly read and understood by computer systems.

Documents that include __ codes are machine readable

QR

What is a turnaround document?

A printed document that has been output from a computer system and that contains machine-readable objects that will allow the same document to subsequently provide input to a computer system.

Online information gathered must be assessed for reliability. What is meant by the term ‘reliability’?

The degree or extent to which the content of the information can be depended on to be accurate.

What are the FOUR characteristics of reliability

1. Authenticity - the information is real/true

2. Lack of Bias - the information is judged fairly and not influenced by personal opinions

3. Currency - the information has the quality of belonging to the present time and not out of date

4. Relevance - the information is connected or appropriate to its use

What is verification?

Verification is a process during which data that has been already entered, is checked to ensure that it matches the data on the source document. It is done by the user

Differentiate between typographical and transpositional errors

Typographical errors affect text (missing or additional characters)

Transposition errors are caused by the switching of the position of two adjacent characters in a number or text string.

List TWO methods of verification

1. Proofreading

2. Double Data Entry

What is validation?

The checking process in a program/ done by a computer which is aimed at finding out if the data is genuine.

List 4 types of validation checks

1. Range Check - the data value is within an expected range

2. Reasonableness Check- the data is reasonable within the context

3. Data Type Check - the data is of the intended data type

4. Presence Check - the data is present

5. Format Check - the data conforms to the format required

6. Length Check - the data is the correct length

7. Consistency Check - the data relates correctly to other data

State 2 differences between verification and validation

1. Verification checks the data being inputted into the system while validation authenticates the data once it is in the system.

2. Verification is carried out by humans while validation is carried out by the computer

What is a ‘file’?

A file is a container in a computer system used to store data, information or programs. It usually exists permanently on Secondary Storage Media

‘File access methods’ refer to what?

1. How data is stored within the file

2. How files are stored on storage media