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Computer Basics
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 Computer
A computer is an electronic device that
can receive, store, process, and output
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(programs). It is designed to execute
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solutions by combining integrated
hardware and software components.

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 Computer Basics
Information processing cycle

The core operations of a computer, often referred to as

the computer's "information processing cycle," can be
broken down into four basic actions:
1. Input: This is the process by which data and
instructions are given to the computer. Devices such
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as keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, and
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2. Processing: Once the data is inputted, the
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computer's central processing unit (CPU) processes
the information. This means it performs operations
on the data, like arithmetic or logic operations,
based on the instructions provided.

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 Computer Basics
Information processing cycle

3. Storage: After or during processing, the

computer saves data in its memory. There are
various levels of storage, including:
• Primary storage: Temporary storage (like
RAM) that provides fast access for the CPU
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to data and instructions while the
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• Secondary storage: Long-term storage
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(like hard drives, SSDs, or external storage
devices) where data, applications, and the
operating system reside.

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 Computer Basics
Information processing cycle

4. Output: Once data has been inputted and processed, the computer displays

or outputs the results. This can be in the form of visual display on a monitor,

printed on paper, played through speakers, saved to a file, or transmitted to

another computer or device. Output devices include monitors, printers, and

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speakers.
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 Computer Basics
Data vs Information

Both "data" and "information" are fundamental concepts in the realm of

computing and information systems, but they have distinct meanings:

Data:

refers to raw facts and figures without any

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sequence of numbers like "19930315" or a list of

names without context.

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 Computer Basics
Data vs Information

Information:

Is data that has been processed in such a way

that it is meaningful. Data becomes

information when it is interpreted in a context

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and given purpose.
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Example: Knowing that "19930315" is a date,
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"March 15, 1993", or understanding that a list

of names refers to attendees at a conference.

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 Computer Basics
Transistor

Transistors in computers are used as electronic switches to represent

binary values. At a basic level, a transistor in a digital circuit can be in

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one of two states, which correspond to the binary values of 0 and 1.

• Off State: When a transistor is "off" or in a non-conductive state, it

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does not allow current to pass through. This state represents the 1
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binary value 0.
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• On State: When a transistor is "on" or in a conductive state, it

allows current to flow through. This state represents the binary

value 1.

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 Computer Basics
Measurement Units

In computing, data storage and processing are quantified using a hierarchy of

units. The foundational unit is the "bit," and from there, we scale up. Here's a

breakdown of these units, starting from the smallest:

Bit:
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- Symbol: b
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- Definition: A "bit" is the most basic unit of data in computing. It can have
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one of two values, typically represented as 0 or 1.

1 0

bit bit
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 Computer Basics
Measurement Units

Byte:

- Symbol: B

- Definition: A "byte" consists of 8 bits. It's the standard unit of data used to

represent a character in computers, such as a letter, number, or symbol.

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- Conversion: 1 Byte = 8 bits
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1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

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 Computer Basics
Measurement Units

Kilobyte:
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- Symbol: KB

- Definition: Kilobyte is often the next step up from a byte. 0 2

- Conversion (in binary): 1 KB = 1,024 Bytes 1 3

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Megabyte: .
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- Symbol: MB
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- Definition: Megabyte is commonly used to represent data
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file sizes or storage capacities.
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- Conversion (in binary): 1 MB = 1,024 KB

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 Computer Basics
Measurement Units

Gigabyte:

- Symbol: GB

- Definition: Gigabyte is a higher order of magnitude and is commonly used

today to represent storage capacities, especially for hard drives, SSDs, and USB
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sticks.
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- Conversion (in binary): 1 GB = 1,024 MB
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Beyond GB, there are further units like Terabyte (TB), Petabyte (PB), Exabyte

(EB), and so on, each representing an additional factor of 1,024 from the

previous.

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 Computer Basics
Decimal system

Computers, at their most fundamental level, operate using the binary (base-2)

system, represented by bits that are either 0s or 1s. However, for various

applications and interfaces with humans, computers often need to work with

the decimal (base-10) system, which we use in our daily lives.

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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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 Computer Basics
Decimal system

Example:

Data Transfer and Storage:

While the capacities of storage devices (like hard

drives or SSDs) are inherently based on binary,

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manufacturers often market them using decimal
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prefixes. For instance, a "500GB" hard drive usually
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provides 500 billion bytes of storage, not

536,870,912,000 bytes (which would be 500GiB in

binary terms).

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 Computer Basics
Hexadecimal system

The hexadecimal (base-16) system is widely used in computing because of its

concise representation of binary data and its ease of conversion to and from

binary. In the hexadecimal system, numbers can be represented using the

digits 0-9 and the letters A-F (or a-f), with 'A' representing 10, 'B' representing
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11, and so on up to 'F' representing 15.
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Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Hexadecimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F

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 Computer Basics
Hexadecimal system

Example:

Color Representation in Web Design:

In digital design and web development, colors are often

represented using the hexadecimal (hex) notation,

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especially in the context of the RGB color model. In the

RGB model, colors are defined by three components:

RGB
Red (R), Green (G), and Blue (B). Each of these

components can have a value ranging from 0 to 255 in

decimal notation.

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 Computer Basics
Hexadecimal system

Color Representation in Web Design:

When representing RGB colors in hexadecimal format:
1. The red, green, and blue components are each converted into a two-digit
hexadecimal number.
2. These three two-digit hex numbers are then concatenated, forming a six-
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digit hex number.
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Here are some examples:
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White: Black:
- RGB(255, 255, 255) - RGB(0, 0, 0)
- Hex: `#FFFFFF` - Hex: `#000000`

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 Computer Basics
Hexadecimal system

Color Representation in Web Design:

Red:
- RGB(255, 0, 0)
- Hex: `#FF0000`
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Green:
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- Hex: `#00FF00`
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Blue:
- RGB(0, 0, 255)
- Hex: `#0000FF`

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 Computer Basics
Encoding tables

Computers use encoding tables like ASCII and Unicode to represent and

manipulate textual information in a format they can understand binary. These

encoding systems provide a standardized way to map individual characters

(such as letters, numbers, and symbols) to specific numbers, which can then
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be represented in binary and stored or processed by a computer.
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A ASCII 65

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

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 Computer Basics
Encoding tables

How computers use these encoding tables?

• ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
is a 7-bit character encoding standard that can represent 128 different
characters, including English letters, numbers and control characters.
• Unicode
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is a much broader encoding standard designed to represent characters from
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Usage in Computers: UTF-16: This encoding uses either one or two 16-bit code
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units per character, making it suitable for representing a wider range of
characters directly. Unicode can represent special characters, emojis, and
many international symbols that ASCII cannot.

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 Computer Basics
Computer Types

Computers can be categorized based on their size, capability, and purpose.

Here's a list of various types of computers:

• Supercomputers:

Purpose: Used for complex, high-end computations.

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Examples: Weather forecasting, molecular research, simulations.
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 Computer Basics
Computer Types

• Mainframe Computers:

Purpose: Handle large amounts of

data, support multiple users

simultaneously, and run commercial

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applications.
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Examples: Transaction processing for
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large organizations like banks, airline

reservations.

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 Computer Basics
Computer Types

• Servers:
Purpose: Serve data to other computers (clients) on a network.
Examples: Schools and universities use servers to provide students and staff
with access to resources such as online courses, research databases, and
email.
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• Microcomputers (Personal Computers):
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0 » Desktop Computers: General-purpose computers for individual users.
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» Laptop Computers: Portable version of desktops.
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» Netbooks: Smaller laptops primarily for internet use.
» Tablets: Touchscreen-based, like Apple's iPad or Samsung's Galaxy
Tab.

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 Computer Basics
Computer Types

• Workstations:

Purpose: More powerful than personal computers, used for tasks needing

better graphics or computational power.

Examples: Video editing, CAD design, 3D design tasks.

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