system architecture

ss

What is binary?

A base 2 number system using 0s and 1s to represent electrical states (on/off)

Give an example of a binary number

5 = 101

What is hexadecimal?

A base 16 system (0–9, A–F) used as a compact, human-readable version of binary

What is ASCII?

A character encoding system that converts characters into numbers stored in binary

What is an input device?

A device that enters data into a computer and converts user actions into digital form

Give examples of input devices

Keyboard, mouse

What is an output device?

A device that presents processed data in human-readable form

Give examples of output devices

Monitor, printer

What is storage?

Stores data and programs for future use (temporary or permanent)

Examples of storage devices

HDD, SSD

What is a data communication system?

A system that allows computers to exchange data over a network

Give one function of a data communication system

Enables sharing of files, printers, and resources

How does it support distributed systems?

Allows sharing of CPU, memory, and storage across multiple computers

What model is used to structure communication?

OSI model

What do passwords do?

Prevent unauthorized access to systems and data

How do access rights improve security?

They control what users can do (read, write, delete)

What is multitasking?

Running multiple programs by giving each a small CPU time slice (appears simultaneous)

What is multiprogramming?

Keeping multiple programs in memory and switching between them to maximise CPU use

Key difference between multitasking and multiprogramming?

Multitasking focuses on user experience; multiprogramming focuses on CPU efficiency

What is memory management?

Allocating and freeing RAM for programs

Give techniques used in memory management

Paging, virtual memory

What is storage protection?

Preventing unauthorized access to data

Methods of storage protection

Encryption, access rights

What is deadlock?

When processes wait indefinitely for resources and cannot proceed

What is ASCII?

Stores text as binary code

What is binary?

Base 2 system using 0s and 1s

What is hexadecimal?

Base 16 system (0–9, A–F)