Computer Information Systems

Expansion Card

A circuit board that adds extra functionality to a computer, such as graphics rendering, sound processing, or additional network ports.

RAID

Method of storing data on multiple hard drives that work in unison to improve performance and provide redundancy.

Flat-panel Monitors

Display devices that use LCD or LED technology.

Cache

Component inside the CPU that hold data that is about to be processed.

Input

One the primary functions of a computer, allowing users to send data and commands to the system.

Processing

The action of manipulating data or commands by the computer's CPU to produce useful information, a primary function.

Storage

The component of a computer system that retains data and information for immediate or future use, allowing for the retrieval and management of data, primary function

Output

The final result produced by a computer after processing input data, which can be displayed on screens, printed, or stored in various formats primary function.

Seek Time

The time required for a hard drive's read/write head to move to the location of specific data on the disk before it can be read or written.

Hotspot

A specific area in a wireless network where connection signals are strong, allowing users to access the internet. Often found in public places like cafes and airports, or college campuses.

DPI or Dots per Inch

The measurement of print resolution that affects the quality of the printed output.

Port

A slot of the outside of the computer used for connecting external devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers.

Pixel

The smallest unit of a display image that represents a single point.

Motherboard

The main printed circuit board in a computer that connects all components.

Byte

A unit of digital information that typically consists of eight bits, representing a single character of data.

RAM

A type of computer storage that is volatile and used to store data for currently running applications and processes.

Internet Service Providers

Companies that provide internet access to consumers and businesses.

IP Address

A numeric label assigned to devices connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

Instruction Set

A group of instructions that a CPU can understand and execute to perform tasks.

Partition

A division of a computer's hard drive into separate sections that can operate as independent storage units.

Operating System

A collection of programs that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs.

Bus Lines

Communications pathways used for transferring data between components within a computer system.

Browsers

Software applications that enable users to access and navigate the internet, displaying web pages and content.

DVD

A digital optical disc storage format used for storing video, audio, and data. Can store from 4.7 to 7.4 GB.

Mobile Device

A very small device that has some built-in computer or internet capability.

Track

The circular rings of magnetic disks that data is stored on for access by a computer's read/write head.

Mainframe Computer

A powerful, high-performance computer designed for large-scale data processing and multiple users, typically used in enterprise environments for critical applications and bulk data processing.

Pages per minute

A measure of print speed

Sectors

The pie-shaped subdivisions of a track on a magnetic disk, which store data that can be read or written by the computer's read/write head.

Software

A collection of programs and data that instruct a computer on how to perform specific tasks, ranging from basic operations to complex applications.

Image Format

A method of encoding digital images, defining how image data is stored and processed, including JPEG, PNG, and GIF, processed by the CPU

Supercomputer

An expensive computer built specifically to perform one program extremely fast.

Application Software

Software designed for end users to perform specific tasks, such as word processing, spreadsheets, and database management.

Network

A system of interconnected computers that communicate and share resources like hardware, software, and data.

Web site

A collection of related web pages that can be accessed through the internet, typically containing multimedia content and links to other resources.

Unicode

A character encoding standard that allows computers to display and manipulate text from multiple languages and symbol sets.

File

A digital container for storing data that can be created, modified, and accessed on a computer system, can come in various formats, such as text, images, or executables.

World Wide Web

A collection of millions of Web pages that can be accessed by internet users.

Recording Surface

The layer on a storage medium, like a hard drive or CD, where data is written and read. Typically has one read/write head for each.

Smart Cards

Plastic cards embedded with microchips used for secure transactions, data storage, and identity verification.

Frames

Video data that is displayed in rapid succession to create motion.

URL address

A reference to a web resource, consisting of a protocol, domain name, and path that specifies the location of a file on the internet.

Bits

The smallest unit of data in a computer, represented as a 0 or a 1, used to encode information.

CPU

The primary component of a computer that performs most of the processing inside a computer, responsible for executing instructions from programs.

Smart Appliances

Devices connected to the internet that can be controlled remotely, often featuring automation and efficiency in home management.

ASCII

A character encoding standard that uses numerical values to represent text in computers, typically employing 7 or 8 bits for each character.

EBCDIC

A character encoding system used primarily on IBM mainframe and midrange computer systems, which uses 8 bits to represent characters.