Processing Mod. 6

Transistor

(Transfer resistance) very small electronic switch, which alternately allows or does not allow electrical currents to pass through it. Controls the amount of current voltage

Computer size

Not just physical size, but also computational power as well.

Microcomputer

Single microprocessor. Ie- notebook, phone, desktop computer

Minicomputer

Contain many microprocessors that work in tandem. More involved. Ie: MRI/CT computers

Gigahertz

Measure of speed on a microprocessor

Billions of cycles per second

Hertz

One cycle per second

Microprocessor

A CPU that is contained on a single integrated circuit chip

Million of instructions per second (MIPS)

How much data a computer can input, process, and output in a given amount of time (power)

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Part of a computer that interprets and executes instructions, performs data manipulations in the computer.

(Guts of the computer)

Computer program

A collection of many interrelated algorithms which allow the user to perform a general application

Ie: word processing, presentation development

Algorithm

A concise set of instructions for a single specific task

Computers

Are machines that can perform mathematical computations, manipulate information, make decisions, and interact accurately and quickly