YouScience CSP: Strand 2 - Computing and Data

Hardware

Physical components of a computer

Software

A program or a collection of programs

Input

The information computers get from users, devices, or other computers

Output

The information computers give to users, devices, or other computers

Storage

Saving information to use in the future

Bit

A single binary digit represented as a 0 or 1.

Byte

8 bits = 1 byte

Kilobyte

Approximately 1 thousand bytes

Megabyte

Approximately 1 million bytes

Gigabyte

Approximately 1 billion bytes

Terabyte

Approximately 1 trillion bytes

Petabyte

Approximately 1 quadrillion bytes

Processing

An action a computer performs when it receives data

Binary

A base-2 numbering system that computers use to process data

Decimal

A base-10 numbering system that humans typically use to process data

Lossless Compression

Compression algorithm in which file size is reduced without any quality loss.

Lossy Compression

Compression algorithm in which some of the data from the original file is lost.